


New Fear

by Tsubaki94



Series: The Pro's and Con's of being Danny Phantom [9]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Gen, New Year, Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-12 23:38:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 25,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11747538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsubaki94/pseuds/Tsubaki94
Summary: If Christmas is celibrated with Family New-Years is celibrated with friends. Only the question is who these friends are and what forme the celebrations take. Danny is back in Amity Park again doing what he's best at, fighting ghosts and spending time with his friends. He couldn't predict however what had happende in his abcence or what he would have to do to fix it.





	1. Chapter 1

”You want me to do what!?” Danny exclaimed. A hot green streak of charged ectoplasm flew past his right ear drowning out Sam’s answer in static. “Watch it Johnny I’m not shooting you when you’re talking to Kitty!” He shouted at the ghost he was chasing after.

The greasy haired biker turned around on his bike pointing his index and long finger at Danny. “Sure you do.” He fired another blast that flew straight at Danny’s face.

Flipping over to the side Danny avoided the blast and sent one in return, making the ghost veer of course or get hit. “Missed me.” He taunted and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Danny dropped out of the air and came down on his feet’s rolling in to a crouch on the nearest roof. Johnny’s shadow came down after him avoiding the blasts Danny sent at it.

When it looked like the shadow was going to take him Danny jumped in to the air thermos unlatched from his belt. He got the shadow in the thermos before it could dodge. Johnny screamed making Danny whip around to face him once more.

To late, the ghost was to close, he’d run Danny over before he could get his hands up.

Blue rings surrounding a swirling vortex shot up from the ground engulfing Johnny, a bare hair in front of Danny’s nose, drawing him in to the second thermos. “That’s cutting it a bit close don’t you think. “ He shouted down at the person in the alley underneath him.

“I warned you but you didn’t listen.” Came Sam’s voice over the Fenton phone in his ear. “So what’s your answer, Will you come or not?”

Sighing Danny glided down to the alley landing beside Sam. The girl was dressed appropriately for the weather, black boots, thick tights, a black winter coat and a knitted black hat covering her ears and the metal piercings from the cold. “I don’t know, it’s if my mom and dad even let’s me.” He put his back against one of the buildings as Sam opened her mouth to speak. “Hold that thought.” He said closing his eyes.

The rings of light washed over him turning the black and white hazmat suit in to worn old jeans, a red winter jacket and a lime green scarf. He made a face and covered his mouth as he began coughing, feeling Sam’s pitying eyes on him.

When he finally stopped coughing he spat out the green mucus his lungs were making. “God I wish I had the flu and not this.” He groaned voice raspy.

“Here.” Said Sam handing him a bottle. “You really don’t sound that much better in real life than you did over the net.” She commented watching Danny uncap the bottle and sniff the content. “Homemade Juice Danny, My orange tree is producing prime ecological fruits that’s not sour.”

He shrugged and drank. It was a bit bitter and Sam had left bits of the fruit meat in it as well, but it did the trick of soothing his sore throat. Whipping the opening he recapped it and handed it to her. “Nope that’s yours, drink up, it’s good for you.” She said turning to look down the alley to the sparsely populated street beyond. The snow had fallen thick over the holiday and the city still had trouble handling the abnormal amount of snow.

“You sound like mom.” Commented Danny getting a dry smile from Sam. “So what were you going to say?” he asked starting down the alley heading for the light up street.

Walking beside him Sam put her hands in her pockets. “Why did your mom and dad let you out if you’re so sick. I mean, sure you don’t seem sick when you are fighting ghosts but like now.” She waved at him.

Putting his own hands in his pockets Danny took a deep breath of crisp air, savoring the sweet taste of freedom. And then began coughing again. Once he was done he rubbed at his chest, a dull ache had settled there only flaring up when he coughed. “I hold my breath as Phantom, it’s much easier that way, and I managed to convince them that fresh air was going to do me good.” He winced. “I guess I was wrong.”

Rolling her eyes Sam bumped his arm. “Cold air is never good when you are sick. But I guess that means you can’t come.” They turned on to the street heading for Fenton Works.

“I might.” Said Danny opening the bottle and taking another gulp of orange juice. “Jazz is coming home tonight, I can convince her to speak to mom and dad on my behalf. It’s what in three days?” he gave her a crooked smile. “I can get back to my old self by then.”

Kicking a ball of snow in front of her Sam bumped in to Danny’s shoulder. “Don’t be stupid Fenton, you recover from virus and infections just as fast as anyone else. If your doctor said one to two week’s it’s going to take that long, if not longer with you flying around.”

He shrugged. “Got your super juice.” He said raising the bottle. “Besides why is this so important to you?”

Sam rolled her shoulders. “It’s not that important to me, it’s mom’s charity I only got her in to doing something good for the community instead of hording our money or spending it at the country club.” There it was, Sam had bullied her mom in to doing something for a good cause and now Pamela Manson was getting her revenge.

“So she’s demanding that you attend this charity fundraiser because you got her in to it to begin with. What’s it even for? Planting trees in Africa or something?” He got a hard glare from Sam, letting him know that he was an ignorant idiot who hurt the environment.

“It’s for bettering the foster care system, making the controls harder and the rules for being a foster parent stricter and at the same time creating a better safety net for the kids who end up in bad places.” She blurted out making Danny’s face heat up.

“Don’t tell me that you want me there because of what just happened with my mom and dad?” he asked coldly feeling a lump of ice settle in his stomach.

“No I want you to come as my Date.” Answered Sam hard purple eyes on Danny. Then she turned red and hid her face in her furry jacket collar.

Danny swallowed and hunched up his shoulders, his face suddenly to hot, his ears practically burning. They walked in embarrass silence for a moment before Sam spoke again. “As a friend. I’m allowed a plus one, and everyone else there’s going to be a snob or rich dude who don’t care. I can talk their ears of but it would be more fun if you came along.”

He was silent for a long moment feeling Sam’s discomfort as they walked on, cars passing by them at even intervals. “What made your mom support something like that, I thought she hated juveniles and the like?”

A taste like cardboard and chilly reached Danny’s tong before Sam spoke. “It’s because of you that she got involved.” He looked at her wild-eyed. “She’s a Manson, Danny. When something doesn’t sit right we look in to it. Mom found out that you had been removed from your parents when we didn’t hang out. And she was going to be fine with it but I bullied her in to considering your situation and how foster care hasn’t always worked out for everyone. She doesn’t like you but she’s not so cruel that she’d wish you to be in a bad home.”

Glancing at Sam Danny shrugged. “I made her take a stand and she chose the right one for once. She’s in charge of planning the fundraising thing, she managed to invite a lot of rich donors and all she asks of me is that I attend.”

“And you want me to come as a friend date?” Asked Danny.

Rolling her shoulders Sam nodded.

Staring in to the distance Danny thought, a crooked smile spreading over his lips. “Can I raid the buffet?”

Mirroring his smile Sam elbowed him in the side. “Hell yes.”

They were just a few blocks away when Danny’s phone started playing the Star Trek them song. Sighing Danny dug in his jeans pockets and produced an old Nokia. “What happened to your other?” Sam asked recognizing his temporary replacement phone when his newer was out of order.

“Drowned, and Tucker is not lending me his after I trashed the screen at the mall.” He pressed the answer button and held it to his ear. “I am almost home.” He said having stopped with greetings whenever his parents called, after they’d dragged out the conversations.

“That’s good, I was getting a bit worried you got lost or had another fit. How far away are you do you want me to send your Dad out with the RV?” His mom said the worry evident in her voice.

“We are a few blocks away, I can stop by the corner store if you want anything, it’s just around the next corner.” He said getting a glance from Sam, They’d passed the store a block away.

“Oh that’s fine Sweetie just get home, I don’t like it when you are out walking late in the night, there’s some ecto-activity on our radar.” She said.

“But none on mine.” Mumbled Danny before raising his voice. “It’s hardly half past seven mom, my curfew if it hasn’t changed was ten last I checked.”

“I might have to talk to your dad about that. Just get home as soon as you can Sweetie.” She hung up leaving Danny staring at it.

“Something happen?” Sam asked still moving in the direction of the Fenton Works.

“I think mom’s gone crazy, she’s planning on changing my curfew to half past seven or something.” He said a bit shocked.

“Get Jazz to stop her, it’s hard enough to finish the ghost fights around ten, if they don’t attack later.” Sam said. They turned down the street to Fenton Works, the neon sign melting in with all the Christmas lighting on the street.


	2. Chapter 2

Braising himself Danny opened the door and was hit with warm air from the heated house. His mom jumped up from her seat in the kitchen and hurried over to them almost before he’d stepped inside. “There you are Danny, I told you to be home within an hour, where have you been?” she said worry dripping of her like some kind of perfume.

“We were walking Mrs Fenton. You know stretching our legs before we have to cram for school and don’t get a chance to see the sun, or in this case stars, in days.” Said Sam taking of her hat and hanging it on a peg beside the door.

“I understand that Sam, but Danny’s sick he shouldn’t be out at all.” Said Maddie reaching to help Danny take of his jacket.

Danny grumbled under his breath and kicked off his shoes. “Mom would you stop.” He sighed pushing past her. He stomped up the stairs leaving Sam alone with the woman. The coughing started again making him bend over and head for the bathroom instead of his own room.

“I should go see how he’s doing.” Came his moms voice from down stairs as he turned on the tap in the bathroom and spat a mouthful of slimy mucus tinted red in to the sink.

“No offence Mrs Fenton, but I think he just needs some space, where’s the coffee brewer.” Said Sam and Danny heard her walk in to the kitchen.

He coughed feeling as if someone was scraping sandpaper along his throat. When he was finished he cupped his hands and filled them with water, clearing the bile taste out of his mouth and drinking some. Turning of the tap he dried his hands and walked across the hall to his room passing the open door to Jazz room now occupied by Danielle. The girl had Danny’s laptop on the bed in front of her, her hands moving as she talked to her mute friend.

Getting to his room Danny shrugged out of his jacket, tossed it in a messy corner and fell face first in to his unmade bed. The springs creaked as he bounced once then lay still. He stayed like that, face buried in his pillows when the top most step of the stare creaked.

Listening he heard the bold, heals first, steps belonging to Sam. A moment later she knocked once on the still open door. “Your mom has apparently banned you from any more coffee this year, so I made the next best thing.” She said.

Rolling over to his side he glanced at her. She had shed her jacket downstairs and underneath it wore an oversized knitted sweater with large holes all over showing the purple tank top underneath. In her hands were two steaming mugs smelling of. “Leaf water.” Sighed Danny pushing himself to sit up.

“Tea, and it’s my own blend the one with caffeine.” She handed him a mug and sat down on his computer chair swirling it around to face him and putting her feet’s up on his bed.

They sat in comfortable silence sipping at their tea, the hot liquid soothing his throat and was warming him up from the inside. Lowering his mug Danny sighed and glanced at the still open door. “Mom, I can hear you.” He said.

Turning to face the door Sam saw Maddie turn and step in to the opening. “Someday I am going to find out how you can hear me when I am the best at sneaking.” She said a soft smile on her face. “How are you feeling?”

Danny groaned. “Mom if you ask me that one more time I will go over to Tucker and stay there.” They’d had this conversation before and no matter how many times he insisted on that he was fine she wouldn’t believe him. It had become unbearable with all her worry and dropping in to check on him every minute he was alone.

“Okay Sweetie I won’t. I was just going to tell you that dinner is ready, Sam you are welcome to join, Jack is out picking Jazz up from the airport so they’ll be another ten minutes.” She gave Danny that motherly look again making him want to turn invisible and fly away.

“Thanks Mrs Fenton, I’ll take you up on that offer if you don’t mind.” Said Sam. The two gave Maddie a look telling her to go away.

She got the hint and left them alone. Drinking the rest of his tea, it wasn’t that bad, the taste of lime mingled with the spices was just right to wake him up. “Your mom and dad don’t want you eating with them tonight?” He asked swinging his legs of the bed and getting slowly up. He’d gotten up to fast that morning and gone dizzy ending up right back where he started.

“They are having dinner with the mayor and some important people, and granny is of with her knitting club tonight, so it would be just me and the butler and that isn’t my idea of a nice dinner.” She said finishing her own tea, taking down her feet’s from Danny’s bed.

“You gave the butler the night of didn’t you.” Accused Danny knowing his friends distaste for house servants, or at least her parents insistence on employing servants.

Shrugging Sam got up. “He had a date with a girl later, can’t blame me for letting him of earlier so he could make a good impression.”

“I sincerely doubt that.” Said Danny heading for the kitchen.

“Heads up.” Said Danielle and nimbly jumped on to the stair railing and glided down.

Entering the kitchen they found Danielle already scoping potatoes on to her helping of boiled fish. Maddie looked up from where she was standing in front of the oven. “I had some spring rolls in the freezer I hope that’s alright for you Sam?” Asked Danny’s mom looking up at them.

“That’s great Mrs Fenton.” Smiled Sam sitting down beside Danielle.

Danny joined them putting his own helpings of food on his plate. He didn’t say much as Sam and his mom struck up a conversation about vegetarian food and how it wasn’t that much harder to do than non-vegetarian. Danny caught a glance from Danielle and the both smiled. Vegetarian was all well and good but the people preaching for it like Sam, would sometimes be a bit to aggressive.

The sound of the RV coming to a halt on the curb outside got both Danny and Danielle to look over at the door. A moment later it sprang open. “Mads look who I found at the airport.” Said Jack hauling a big traveling bag through the door.

“Dad. Mom knew you were coming to the airport to get me.” Said Jazz squishing past her dad and kicking of her shoes. “Hi mom, Danny.” She stopped and looked at the other two at the table. “Sam and Danielle right?”

The younger girl swallowed her food. “Hi, It’s Dani with an I to my friends but it gets confusing here so just keep calling me Danielle.”

“How was your flight dear.” Asked Maddie walking out to the living room to hug her oldest child.

“Fine mom. I had a chance to review some of my friends paper on the way, it was a really interesting read and I hope she takes my advice and shortens the introduction and put the facts about split personality developments in young children in its own section.” She chirped hugging her mom back.

Sniffing the air Jack put down the bags. “Is that fish I smell?” He asked moving past the two women to get to the kitchen. “Smells delicious Mads.” He said sitting down in one of the two chairs left.

Danny saw Jazz smell the air to. “It does.” She said and the two came in to the kitchen as well. “Hi little brother how was Christmas with the cousins?” She asked already knowing what had happened.

Stuffing his mouth full of food he nodded for Jazz to ask Danielle instead, not in the mood to talk about it. The trip hadn’t given him nightmares or anything, he just had a bad feeling whenever anyone brought it up, like he’d failed or something.

Asking Danielle the same question Danny swallowed his mouthful and winced at the pain in his throat. “You know she will ask you the same thing later.” Said Sam in a low voice.

Nodding Danny drank his milk. “She’s been asking the same question every time we’ve spoken. I’m hoping she’ll give up eventually, or let it go.”

“You know Jazz don’t let things go that easily.” Hissed Sam biting in to a spring roll.

“When she is certain that I don’t want to talk she gives up.” Whispered Danny back cleaning of his plate in one last mouthful.

“I don’t think she will. Just like your mom won’t stop asking you how you’re feeling.” Said Sam.

“What are you two whispering about?” Asked Jack that curious look on his face, as if he knew what they were talking about and having the wrong idea to begin with.

“Nothing.” Said the two, to fast and the interest was all on them now.

“Come on tell us.” Said Maddie in that same tone of voice as her husband.

Exchanging a look Danny shrugged, now was as good a time as any to ask.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost forgot to post today, was so worried over handing in my school work that it compleatly slipped my mind. I hope you will enjoy this story, I don't really know what to say about it more than that it sett the stage for what will happen in future stories.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dropping Danielle of at her home leads to Danny having to talk to her guardian and the social worker who he got to know during his stay at Mrs Oswalds home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stopped doing chapter summaries but i gues I should start doing it again, I don't know I want to avoid spoiling anything.

Danny groaned when he recognized the Ford parked in Mrs Oswald’s driveway. “What’s wrong?” asked Jazz pulling on the parking break before turning of the car.

“Mrs S is here.” Said Danielle from the backseat.

“Who?” Asked Jazz as they all got out of the old car.

“Our social worker.” Sighed Danny. He walked over to the trunk and opened it. He caught sight of two figures moving in the kitchen window, ether they were going to ambush him for putting Danielle in danger, which he never had intended. Or they had planned on ambushing his parents who had been supposed to keep Danielle safe during the holiday. Either way it didn’t bode well.

“You want me to come in with you?” Asked Jazz walking over to stand beside him. “Let Danielle take the heavy bags Danny.” She added pushing his hands away from the large bag he’d reached for.

“I can carry it, and I don’t think we need you.” He heaved the large heavy bag out of the trunk with little effort. “They can’t really do anything cus we are minors.” Handing the bag over to Danielle he took a step back and coughed pressing a hand against his chest once more.

“See you should have let Danielle take the heavy stuff, the doctor told you not to exert yourself.” Said Jazz, but she didn’t move to comfort him. The talk she’d had with their mom and dad the evening before had let her know how over caring they were and she had to remind them of the healthy boundaries they had agreed to.

“Just stay outside, listen in on my conversation if you want, the Fenton Headphones are in my bag.” Said Danny taking up Danielle’s bag of hockey gear. It was a lot lighter and he swung it over his shoulder with ease.

They walked up the path in the snow to the front door and Danielle opened it. “Hey I’m back!” She called in to the house. Mrs Oswald and Stewarts were both standing in the hall soft smiles on their faces.

“Welcome home Danielle.” Said Mrs Oswald giving the girl a genuine smile. “Did you have a good time with your cousins?”

“If I did. We played hockey on this ice by the house, and won seven to twelve, although if we count from the point where I switched teams it would be three to four but we were still winning.” Danielle began putting down her bag and kicking of her shoes. “And later in the evening we decorated the tree’s, there was three of them and they were all huge, like as tall as this house and uncle Jack needed a ladder to put the star on top and we all thought it was going to fall over but it didn’t.”

“Sounds like a wonderful trip.” Noted Mrs Stewarts the smile never reaching her eyes.

“Why don’t you run up with your things, I want a word with Danny.” Said Mrs Oswald.

The girl put her jacket on its hook and glanced at Danny who shrugged. “Don’t leave before I get to say goodbye.” She whispered, loud enough for only him to hear.

Nodding Danny put down her hockey gear and watched as she heaved her large bag up the stairs. When she’d turned the corner towards her room Danny turned his eyes on the women in front of him.

“Come in to the kitchen Danny.” Said Mrs Oswald nodding too her favorite room in the house.

“Can’t stay long, got an appointment with Gideon.” Sighed Danny kicking of his shoes. The two women shot him a glance, they’d heard the rasping sound of his voice.

“It’ll only be a moment, we just want to know what happened?” said Mrs Oswald letting Danny go in first and take a seat by the table. There were two half empty coffee mugs on the table and Danny could see a half full coffeepot still in the machine. “You want some coffee.” Asked Mrs Oswald well aware of his love for the dark brew.

“If you don’t mind.” Said Danny ignoring his mother’s rule that he shouldn’t drink any for the rest of the year. He needed it if he was going to have his wits about him talking to these two and later Gideon.

Mrs Oswald poured him a mug as Mrs Stewarts sat down in front of Danny, sharp brown eyes taking in his appearance. “Did you have a nice Christmas?” she asked when Mrs Oswald put the coffee in front of Danny.

Picking up the mug Danny gave her a dry smile. “I hate Christmas.” He said before blowing on the coffee and taking a sip. The black, strong taste of the coffee filled his mouth and almost immediately made him much more alert.

“Oh?” Said Mrs Oswald sitting down beside the other woman. “I didn’t know that.”

Swallowing Danny winced as the coffee made its way down his throat. “I don’t talk about it.” He said shooting a glance at the window, seeing Jazz sit in her car a pair of headphones on. “But that’s not what you want to talk about, right?”

The two looked at each other’s before Mrs Stewarts spoke. “I got a phone call in the middle of the night the day before Christmas. A man named Ethan Andrews said that Danielle was at the hospital because her ears were bleeding. Can you tell me what happened?”

“I thought he was calling you Mrs Oswald.” Sighed Danny rubbing the back of his head.

“You were there as well?” Asked Mrs Oswald her sharp eye’s narrowing on him. She’d seen him hurt, had caught him trying to bandage the cuts on his arms and had never really trusted him after that.

Shrugging Danny took another sip of his coffee. “We were outside stargazing when this werewolf ghost decided to make us his meal.” Danny began. He and Danielle had come up with the story after they’d made up the story for what had happened at the mill. “I still have the Shield mom and dad made, so we didn’t get torn in to shreds, but it angered the thing and he used some kind of ghostly wail that busted up our ears before mom and dad could chase it away.” Half-truths were better than complete lies, and he hoped Wulf wouldn’t mind them blaming the attack on him seeing as he’d taken it on himself to be blamed for a second attack the next day.

“A Ghost.” Said Mrs Oswald, the disbelief evident in her eyes.

“They are everywhere.” Shrugged Danny taking a gulp of coffee and wincing as it burnt its way down his throat.

“Mimi. Let it be.” Said Mrs Stewarts putting a hand on the others arm when she opened her mouth to argue. “We aren’t judging here, we are listening.” She turned to Danny. “So you both hurt you ears, did your mom and dad get you to the hospital?”

Rubbing at his temple Danny tried to remember that night. “Mom and Dr Andrews took us to the hospital.” He glanced up at Mrs Stewarts. “It’s the same guy who you quoted when mom and dad was accused of hurting me.” He said.

Mrs Stewarts seemed to think about it for a moment before speaking. “The one from Chicago, right?” she said.

“The same.” Agreed Danny. “I can’t tell you what was said, sort of lost my hearing and fell asleep, you can ask Danielle she’ll remember-“ He broke of coughing putting the mug back on the table he bent over waiting for the coughing to stop. When it did he had a sour taste in his mouth.

“Are you alright?” asked Mrs Oswald having gotten up from her seat to walk over to him.

“The doctor said it was Pneumonia.” Said Danielle from the kitchen door, drawing the women’s eyes to her. She walked over to the sink and got a glass which she filled with water. Handing the glass over to Danny he drank. “You know Mrs F didn’t want you drinking coffee because it was bad for your throat.” Said Danielle taking the mug from Danny.

“Won’t stop me from drinking it.” He said straightening and rubbing his chest. “Thanks.” He nodded to the glass.

The girl shrugged taking a sip from his coffee. “Don’t mention it. Oh and I can’t tell you what happened at the hospital, I sort of had this ringing in my ears that drowned out every other word, try calling Mrs F, she’ll tell you what the doctors said.”

Mrs Stewarts picked up a brown envelop from her bag. “We know what the doctors said, we just wanted to know the story behind it.” Her eyes turned to Danny. “Are you alright?” she asked real concern in her voice.

“Fine. Just a cough, it’ll pass.” He got up. “Thanks for the coffee, I have to go or Jazz will get angry.” To emphasize his words Jazz honked the horn of the car. “As I said.” He said goodbye to Danielle and the others before putting on his shoes and going out in to the cold.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gideon got another talk with Danny and tries to figure the boy out but it's like hearing only one side of the story, he knows there is more but how to get the boy to open up and talk.

Bending over Danny started coughing, the pain in his chest exploding every time he coughed drawing tears from his eyes. When he finally caught his breath he stayed leaning forwards his head resting on his knees. “That doesn’t sound good.” Commented Gideon from his seat across from Danny.

Shaking his head Danny forced himself to breathe slowly. “Been worse.” He rasped slowly straightening. He was once more sitting on Gideon’s couch in his small office, a mug of tea in front of him, his jacket laying over the back of the couch.

“You got the cough from what, running around without your jacket?” asked Gideon, having seen the boy walk out of the hospital front doors only putting on his jacket if it was raining.

“Naa, fell through the ice. The doc thought this is because I breathed in water.” He said taking up his mug and sipping at the hot liquid. He’d once again asked for tea instead of coffee.

“Sound scary. What happened.” Gideon watched as Danny’s eyes grew distance and he lowered the mug to have it in his lap, hands curled around it.

“David, was about to.” He waved a hand. “I pushed him out of the way and fell in.” There it was again, thought Gideon. The boy would sometimes edit his recount of things, he was good at it and might actually become a good lyre if he kept practicing.

“Who’s David?” Asked Gideon, the notebook and pen in his hand but he never took notes during the sessions, it had distracted Danny the first time.

“My cousin. He’s a jerk, or I don’t know, he tries to act the leader but no one actually thinks of him as the leader.” He scratched the back of his neck his eyes distance once more, thinking of something he didn’t want to tell Gideon.

“Did he help you out of the water when you fell in?” he asked watching the boys facial expressions.

Shaking his head Danny sighed. “No it was Danielle.” He slouched down deeper in the couch. “I was panicking, and her hand closed around mine.” He sighed. “I guess I know how she felt when she fell in the day before.”

“She fell in to the ice, shouldn’t that have been a warning not to go on it?” Danny brought the mug up to his lips again humming in agreement. Gideon let Danny take his time, this was nothing he wanted to push too hard on, the kid would tell him in due time.

“The bridge broke.” Said Danny finally.

“Aaa, I see. So how are you feeling about it, now afterwards?” He got a tired look from Danny.

“Don’t know.” He answered simply and truthfully.

Gideon waited for the boy to continue but he didn’t. “Alright. Can you sit up straight for me?”

Slouching down deeper Danny looked stubbornly at Gideon. “What’s the point?” he asked sipping his tea.

“The point is that I want you to meditate and think about what happened and then tell me how you feel, simple as that, just like last time, minus the falling asleep part.” Explained Gideon. It wasn’t completely a psychological approach but the boy seamed to respond to it.

Putting away his mug Danny sat up straight and crossed his legs. He put his hands in his lap, fingers barely touching, bowing his head he closing his eyes. Gideon listened to him take a breath, hold it then breathe out. He could hear a crackling sound from the boys breathing but it didn’t seem to stop him.

He was impressed with how easily the boy relaxed and stayed completely still, having taught some classes in meditation himself Gideon knew that young people often fidgeted and thought it boring. But Danny who never really stayed still during their conversations were completely relaxed now. “What did you feel when you were out of the water?” he asked in a low whisper keeping in the tempo of Danny’s breathing.

“Cold, it hurt.” He paused taking a breath. “Relived to be alive and… Afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” asked Gideon watching Danny’s facial expression change. He was concentrating on something and then he saw the telltale twitch of his eyes.

“Drowning.” He said, leaving out something again.

“What happened after? Were you close to the house?” he asked.

Shaking his head slowly Danny took another deep breath. “We were at the mill.” His eyebrows twitched, then his fingers. His breath caught and Danny’s eyes flew open a flash of green before he bent over again coughing and cursing under his breath.

“Alright, it’s alright.” Said Gideon handing the boy his mug of tea. He’d caught on something in his memories, something that he’d edited out.

Waiting for Danny to catch his breath Gideon tapped his pen against his notebook. There was something in Danny’s memories that he didn’t want Gideon to know about, just like the last time they had a session. Maybe he had to actually look elsewhere for the information Danny wasn’t giving him.

There was a buzz from Gideon’s phone. Picking it up he sighed. “Time’s up.” He noted glancing at Danny who emptied his mug of tea.

It was a sort of comfortable silence between them as Gideon walked with Danny to the elevator and rode it down with him. “I forgot to ask you.” Said Gideon getting Danny’s eyes on him, a weary look that told him the kid would run away if he asked the wrong question. “What was your favorite gift you got for Christmas.”

To his surprise the boy’s face turned a lighter shade of red and he hunched up his shoulders the green scarf covering his mouth. “Sam’s gift.” He said before the elevator stopped and the doors opened.

“You finished already.” Said a red haired girl sitting in a chair opposite the elevator. She closed the large book she’d been reading and walked over to them. “How did it go?” she asked Danny.

Shrugging Danny closed his jacket. “I don’t know Jazz, had coughing attacks that broke in.”

‘Ah Jazz the older sister Danny had talked about, thought Gideon remembering their first conversation. The girl turned to him and smiled. “Hi Jazz Fenton, I’m glad you are helping my little brother, god knows he doesn’t speak to me.” She said giving Gideon her hand to shake.

“From what I heard Danny tells you a lot more than he tells me. Gideon Stone.” Said Gideon taking the girls hand and glancing down at the title of the book she’d been reading. Surviving Adolescence through therapy.

“I wish he did.” She let go of Gideon’s hand and put an arm around Danny. “You can’t break my brothers stubbornness if you don’t bribe him with coffee.”

Danny pushed away from his sister. “Don’t you have better things to do Jazz.” He asked backing towards the door.

“Sure, I have to drive you to Doctor Jonson, and don’t try and sneak away you know I’ll find you.” She said shrugging on her jacket and turning to Gideon once more. “Thank you again. My brother can be stubborn some times, but your sessions are really helping him.” She shot Danny a glance seeing him almost at the door. “Hey don’t try anything.” She called going after him.

Watching the two leave Gideon wondered why Danny had stopped talking to his sister or if he was still talking just editing things out like he did in their sessions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gideon is a sidecharacter that may become more involved in Danny's life futhure in to the series  
> Hope everyone is enjoying this story so far it got a slow start but I promise the plot is thickening ^^


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny is hanging out with his friends and some secrets gets revield

Hearing the front door open Maddie leaned back on her chair to see who it was. Seeing her two children she smiled and got up from her work. “How did it go?” She asked walking up to the two keeping a distance from Danny. He’d been moody and would snap at her if she tried to make sure he was alright.

“Doc said I could go if I avoid the dancefloor.” Said Danny putting up his jacket on his hook. “I’m going to my room. Call me when dinners ready.” He said taking the stair two steps at a time.

Turning to her daughter she gave her a raised eyebrow, Jazz shrugged. “Give him some space mom, he’ll talk to you in time.” She put her jacket over Danny’s and bent down to undo her shoes.

“Did Dr Jonson really say he could go?” Asked Maddie hearing the door to Danny’s room slam close.

“Yeah, If he keeps improving as he has he don’t see why not.” She got up and pulled of her boots. Maddie crossed her arms and looked up the stairs, she had an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Here you go.” Said Jazz holding up a large brown envelop.

Taking it Maddie pulled out the papers inside. “The blood test results and the new x-rays.” She said flicking through the papers without seeing them, her thoughts still on Danny.

“Mom. Earth to mom, I think your experiment is burning.” Said Jazz pushing past Maddie to get to the kitchen picking up the heating pen she’d used to connect circuitries in a new computer component for an upgrade to their ghost shield.

“Yes, sorry.” Maddie shook her head and walked back in to the kitchen turning of the power to the thing. She looked up to meet Jazz’s eye’s. They were calculating watching her every move. The girl had always been perceptive, thought Maddie, but she was getting better at analyzing people ever since she started college.

“Are you alright mom?” Asked Jazz opening a cabinet taking out a glass.

Sighing Maddie nodded. “Yes, Fine, just a bit distracted.” Her eye’s went to the ceiling. Jazz followed her gaze.

“Don’t worry about him. Danny is stronger than you think.” There was a knowing smile on Jazz lips, something that annoyed Maddie. Her daughter knew Danny better than his own mother, and he was shutting her out even after everything that happened. “So what’s for dinner?” Asked Jazz filling her glass with water.

 

Upstairs Danny’s room was empty, he’d closed the door and locked it. His parents could still get in, they only had to find a screwdriver and the door would be open but it was the principle of the thing that stopped them from barging in on him when he wasn’t there.

Soaring high above the town Danny drew in a deep breath, feeling like his lungs were going to protest but they didn’t. He liked it up there, no one could bother him and he didn’t have to talk to anyone about his feelings.

It was his place, if had to have a lair like other ghosts the sky was his. Ascending over the clouds Danny lay on his back staring up at the stars, enjoying the peace and quiet.

Eventually he landed on the roof of the Manson house and glided over to Sam’s window knocking lightly on it. “It’s open.” Called Sam and Danny passed through the window landing on her floor. “Hi, how did it go?” asked Sam sitting on her bed an assortment of nail polish on a tray in front of her, her feet’s bare as she painted her toenails.

“I can go.” Sighed Danny sitting down on her computer chair changing back to his human form, a grin on his face.

Sam looked up from her detailed work a smile spreading over her lips. “Great, I’ll tell mom…” She looked down on her half painted nails. “As soon as my nails are dried.”

Nodding Danny spun around on the chair. “Wasn’t Tucker supposed to be here?” he asked glancing out the window, seeing nothing but snow and slow moving cars.

“He’s running late because of the snow.” Said Sam applying neon green color to her nails. “He said something about the scooter slipping over the ice.”

“Yeah I can see that.” Said Danny seeing Tucker slip over the ice on his scooter, helmet on tightly over his hat, thick jacket keeping out the cold. He came to a sliding stop right outside the front door where he parked the scooter looking up at the window as he removed the helmet.

Swirling around on the chair to face the door Danny could hear Tucker ring the doorbell. “Your Mom is answering the door.” Said Danny listening.

“Is she in a good or bad mood?” Asked Sam, it was a sort of game, sometimes Danny could tell just from how heavy one walked if someone was angry or not.

Closing his eyes Danny tilted his head. “I think-“ he began coughing and cursed as he heard Pamela Manson’s voice waver.

A moment later he heard her come walking up the stairs followed by Tucker. “Samykins is everything alright.” She called before knocking at the door.

“Fine mom.” Sighed Sam glancing worriedly at Danny.

The door opened revealing the well-dressed woman standing a head taller than Tucker in her heals. “Oh.” She said seeing Danny. “I didn’t see you come in, Daniel.” Her voice was dry void of any emotions but Danny tasted the distain she held for him.

“Yeah people don’t seem to notice me.” Croaked Danny, rubbing at his hurting chest.

“Well it’s good that you came up mom. Danny is going to be my plus one for the charity event.” One would think Sam had uttered a curse the way her mom reacted.

She blinked a horrified look on her face, then she smoothed her facial expression in to neutrality. “Alright.” She turned to Danny looked him up and down before turning on her very sharp heals and walked away leaving Tucker alone in the doorway.

“Wow was it just me or did the temperature drop to freezing in here.” He asked walking in to Sam’s room closing the door behind him and sitting down in her beanbag. No one dared to sit down on her bed when she was doing her nails, they were after all very sharp.

“No kidding.” Danny shivered. “Hey Sam is your mom possessed by, I don’t know a yeti? That glare just sent chills down my spine.”

“Oh, That was just her normal glare, you should see her when she’s running on caffeine and haven’t slept for a few days, if you as much as yawns in her presence without covering your mouth, then we are talking yeti.” Said Sam never taking her eyes of her nails.

“I know another person who’s like that.” Said Tucker glancing at Danny.

“You would be grumpy too if you had to fight ghost every time you tried to catch some shuteye.” Shrugged Danny.

“Touche. So what’s this I hear about a charity event and you being Sam’s plus one?” Asked Tucker pulling up his laptop from within his backpack.

“Long story short, Mom is forcing me to go to this charity event on new-year’s eve and I asked Danny to be my plus one so I don’t die of boredom.” She explained straightening to admire her work.

“And you didn’t ask me because, I’m to good looking, have a starling smile, can hack the school security cameras in my sleep?” Tucker typed in a command on his laptop and the screen turned on to the Doom2 launcher.

“Because you said you were going to Paulina’s and Star’s party. How’s that going by the way, got any new burns from girls denying your advances before you even made your move?” Sam’s eyes glittered wickedly.

“Very funny. You know I’m married to my PDA. But alas no woman going to the party was free. So I might just as well stay at home and raid some dungeons with Valeri.” Sighed Tucker logging on to the game server.

Digging in his pocket Danny pulled out a blue envelop and tossed it to Tucker. “There now both you and Valeri can go, please crash the party for me.” Sighed Danny.

His two friends stared at him then at the envelope. Opening it Tucker found the professionally printed party invitation. “How the heck did you get invited?” Asked Tucker turning the invitation over in his hand.

“Dash, I helped him with his homework yesterday and he gave it to me because he couldn’t go.” Sighed Danny. “I was going to give it to you if you hadn’t found a date that would take you.”

“Wait roll back you are helping Dash with homework! Since when are you friends?” Asked Tucker stuffing the invitation back in its envelop.

“That’s why he didn’t pick on you at the mall.” Said Sam putting her nail polish away.

“Yeah, It’s sort of weird. I kept bumping in to him at Wishing Hill’s library and we have this sort of agreement that if he don’t pick on me in school I’ll help him with homework.” Explained Danny.

“But didn’t he punch you in the face after the mall thing, and before Christmas he pulled you in to a classroom.” Said Tucker his phone in his hands.

“But you walked away from that without a bruise.” Said Sam having noticed that Danny hadn’t been hurt that day.

Shrugging Danny crossed his arms over the back of the chair. “I pushed him in to the restricted area during the mall incident to create a distraction that’s why he punched me later. He apologized for it when he dragged me in to that classroom.” Danny shrugged the whole thing sounding odd even for him who had been there. “Any way the invitation is yours Tucker I don’t need it. Maybe don’t tell anyone how you got it or Dash might start picking on me again.”

“Man this is sweet, I’m texting Valeri right now to see if she’s free.” Tucker disappeared in to his phone. Danny and Sam exchanged a look and rolled their eyes, Tucker and Valeri was spending a lot of time together playing Doom2.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even thou Maddie knows everything is alright she can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

As Maddie made dinner she’d scolded herself in to not worrying so much over Danny, taking Jazz advice and trusting that he was alright. Somehow it seemed to work, as they eat she almost felt like things were as they had been that summer before Jazz moved away and the whole thing with CPS took place.

She still worried when Danny’s coughing made him double over but he recovered faster from it than he had the first day they were home. Jack didn’t seem to notice if one didn’t count on him stopping his speech until Danny caught his breath again. But Maddie could tell he was just as concerned as she was, only better at taking Jazz’s orders.

It wasn’t until she was lying in bed listening to the sound of her husband breathing that she started to worry again. Even though she knew that Jazz and Danny was in the house she felt like there were only her and Jack there, as if Jazz was back at Yale and Danny living in a foster home.

Sitting up Maddie listened. Apart from Jack’s breathing she could hear the wind blowing outside, the low buzz coming from the different power cables going up through the walls, the dripping of the tap in the bathroom and the soft creek of the old house. Giving up on trying to sleep she got out of bed and pulled a dressing gown on over her pajamas.

Moving silently Maddie walked to Jazz room and opened the door a crack, peeking in. Jazz was sound asleep, Bearbert cradled in her arm one foot sticking out from under the blankets. Slowly she silently closed the door and walked over to Danny’s. He’d put up Do not enter signs on the door, over the star stickers he’d put on as a child.

Opening the door a crack she frowned and pushed it open all the way. The room was dark, soft light poured in through the windows from the street outside, clothes lay in a corner, books and what looked like pieces of homework covered the desk and spilled out on to the floor. The blankets and some of the pillows had fallen to the floor leaving an empty bed.

Maddie could feel her heart begin to race but forced herself to calm down and think logically. She turned and walked down the stairs to the Livingroom. Seeing lights on in the kitchen she walked over to the door to find no one there. About to head down the stairs to the basement lights flickered on in the Livingroom and she jumped turning around.

In a corner of the couch, curled up in a large blanket with a bowl of Ben & Jerry’s sat Danny his eyes fixed on the TV. “God you almost gave me a heart attack.” She said leaning on the kitchen door frame.

“Sorry.” Mumbled Danny pressing buttons on the control. Maddie looked at the TV. He was starting a DVD the sound turned down so low she could hardly hear the music playing in the background for the starting menu.

“Isn’t it a bit late to watch movies?” she asked. Danny knew fully well that they didn’t approve of watching movies all night even if they made acceptations for movie nights.

“Can’t sleep.” Murmured Danny putting down the remote and poking the ice cream. He looked distant, thought Maddie, as if he was still half asleep.

Sighing Maddie walked over to sit on the couch next to him, pulling a blanket around herself. “Alright what are we watching?” she asked as the title appeared on the screen. Star Trek the next generation. “Is this the one where they fly around as some western space cowboys or the one when they try to reunite three galaxies in to one commonwealth?” she asked.

“It’s the one with a bald captain.” Sighed Danny taking a bite of his ice cream. Her attempt to let him tell her of for not knowing what Star Trek was didn’t seem to lighten his mood.

“Turn up the volume a bit, I can’t hear what they are saying.” She said settling in to watch the science fiction show with Danny, feeling a bit calmer having him where she could see him. She kept glancing over at him as he coughed but he just watched the show with the same dull eyes.

Being a scientist Maddie could spot a lot of mistakes the writers had made in the techno babble but she let it slide. That was until the empath jumped to conclusions that wasn’t even possible. “That’s not how it works, she talks as if she can read his thoughts not emotions.”

Blinking Danny turned to look at her. “What do you mean?” he asked.

“Well first of she isn’t close enough to read anyone's thoughts, the elector magnetic field from the ships power should be interfering with her ability to read other humans brainwaves and if not then there’s at least a couple of miles between the big ships. I can believe she is a skilled consular and has learned to recognize some thoughts that accompany the emotions but this is a bit unbelievable.” Said Maddie taking just the first things that came to mind. “Besides, you’d have to read the body language as well and you can’t do that through walls.”

“But dogs can tell how a person is feeling, and ghost can to, right? What's the diffirence?” Asked Danny his eyes on the TV once more, his fingers fidgeted with the bowl in his hands.

“Dogs has a very keen sense of smell that lets them tell how a person is feeling based upon how the body releases chemicals and hormones.” Began Maddie simplifying it for Danny. “A ghost only have the basic emotion that were imprinted on it at the moment of death. Rage, loneliness, love, hate and so on. They haunt people to fill the void that is left, they scare and attack people because the stronger the emotion the person is feeling the more electric impulses flies around in the brain creating a sort of energy source outside of the ghost zone.”

“So you say they can’t tell the difference?” Danny’s eyes lowered to the ice cream in his hands.

“They can, but they want the stronger emotions to fuel them. They don’t know what it means to feel anything other than the emotion that was imprinted on them.” Maddie frowned. “Ghosts are only shadows of people, they don’t have the capability to form complex thoughts or understand anything outside of their own existence.”

“Yeah got it.” Sighed Danny pulling his blanket closer around himself.

Feeling as if she’d upset him Maddie fell silent and watched the show, ignoring the impossibilities of the empath and the other telepaths in the show. She realized Danny was asleep beside her when he didn’t press the next episode.

Carefully she got the half eaten bowl of ice cream from his limp hands, taking the remote as well and turning of the TV. She walked in to the kitchen and put the bowl in the sink. Reaching for the light switch her eye’s landed on the brown envelope she’d left there earlier, she’d only looked at them long enough to see what sort of medicine Danny needed and when to take it.

Picking up the envelope she sat down by the kitchen table and pulled out the papers. She held the X-ray image up to the light mentally comparing it to the one he had days earlier. It looked better, the spots that identified as fluids in his lungs were fewer.

Returning the X-ray image she turned to the blood test.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early moning and Sam knock's on the Fenton door, insted of expecting anyone to answer she walks in finding Jazz and Maddie in the kitchen.

However much she told her mom she was a creature of the night, Pamela Manson would always wake Sam up at 6:30am. Most of the time Sam was tired from helping Danny fight ghosts or actually studying but getting up early she got time to put on her warrior makeup and tend to her plants in the greenhouse before school. She knew that Danny was the sort of person who given a chance would sleep all day long and probably not get up until the afternoon at the earliest.

Knocking at the Fenton’s front door at 8am was a gamble. Sometimes when she’d gone by that early only Jazz would be awake, other times Danny’s parents were awake or more often than not going on caffeine. She sort of understood Danny’s addiction for the dark brew, she herself needed the bitter coffee to be awake and alert for school.

She’d long ago stopped waiting for anyone to open the door when she came over to visit, she’d only knocked as a force of habit. Opening the door she walked in. She could see Jazz sitting in the kitchen and Mrs Fenton poked her head in to the living room. “Morning, Danny awake yet?” Asked Sam taking of her winter coat.

“No he’s still asleep.” Said Maddie.

“Then I’ll go up and wake him.” Sam kicked of her boots and headed for the stairs.

“He’s not up there.” Said Jazz making Sam stop her foot hovering over the first step. She leaned over to look at the older girl sitting by the kitchen table, a mug of coffee in one hand and a huge book in her other. She glanced up long enough to catch Sam’s questioning eyes.

“On the couch.” Said Maddie returning to what smelled like burning pancakes. Looking over at the couch Sam realized that what she had taken for the normal pile of cushions and blankets hid the lean form of Danny, only the shock of black hair sticking out from under the blanket and the slow movement of his shoulders told her that he was there.

“What happened, Did some GIW break down the wall in his room again.” Asked Sam walking over to sit on the couch, Danny’s back towards her.

“He fell asleep watching TV.” Sighed Maddie, Sam heard the sound of pancakes being fried. The woman appeared in the door a moment later a soft smile on her face. “You want breakfast?” She asked.

“No thanks, I’ve already eaten.” Answered Sam, not saying anything about how milk from cows was against her vegetarian code.

“Coffee?” Asked Maddie.

“That would be nice.” Sam smiled giving Danny a light shove. “Hey dummy, there’s pancakes.” She said but the only reaction she got was a deep sigh that was followed by light coughing.

Maddie walked out of the kitchen two mugs in her hands. She handed one to Sam who thanked her and put the other on the table, it was filled with the tea Sam had left there the other day. Sinking down to sit on her heals Maddie brushed Danny’s black hair out of his face. “Sweetie time to wake up.” She said in a soft voice.

To Sam’s surprise Maddie’s soft voice did more to wake Danny up than her shove had. He drew the blanket up over his ears muscles tightening in his back. “One more hour.” He murmured the tip of his nose moving as he smelled the coffee.

“Sam’s here Danny, and there’s pancakes.” Said Maddie her fingers still brushing away his hair from his face.

A deep sigh made Danny’s shoulders rise and fall before he opened his eyes and looked up. Sam smiled and sipped her coffee. “What time is it?” he asked closing his eyes once more.

“8:16 am.” Said Sam who’d caught a glimpse of the DVD player showing the time. “We have a time at the tailor in 45 minutes to get your suit fitted before tomorrow.”

“I’ll wear the same suit as I did for the school dance.” Mumbled Danny pulling the blanket the rest of the way over his head.

Exchanging a look with Danny’s mom Sam smiled. “Yeah I think you’ve outgrown that old thing, and you’d look ridiculous in it.”

“Sam is right Sweetie, It’s time we got you a new one.” She ruffled his head, “Get up before I burn any more of the pancakes.” She said rising before walking back to the kitchen where the smell of burnt food was growing stronger.

“You can have my coffee.” Whispered Sam getting Danny to pull the blanket off of his head.

He glanced over at the kitchen where his mom was throwing away the burnt pancake. Sitting up he glanced at the mug in Sam’s hands and she handed it to him before taking the mug of tea Maddie had meant for him. “You are a lifesaver.” Whispered Danny sipping at his coffee.

“Does that mean you’ll come willingly to the fitting or will I have to drag you there?” She lowered her voice. “I could can you up in the thermos if you don’t come.”

Danny grinned, partly because of the pain from the coffee moving down his throat and partly because he thought what Sam said was funny. “Okay, let me just shower and eat breakfast first.” He sipped his coffee a puzzled look on his face. “Why are you so excited for this?” he asked looking up from his mug.

Feeling her face grow warm Sam shrugged keeping her cool. “Mom bribed me in to wearing heels by letting me have a dress in my style.” She confessed. Material things wasn’t really her thing but that didn’t mean she didn’t like to wear feminine clothing even if they were troublesome to move in and not really meant for her to fight ghosts in.

“I knew you were a girl.” Said Danny earning him a jab in the arm. “Hey watch it hot coffee here.” He said getting up from the couch easier than should be allowed.

Maddie poked her head in to the living room again. “Danny!” She said warningly.

A cheapish look on his face Danny downed the rest of his coffee and put the mug on the table. “I’ll be back.” He said before hurrying up the stairs Maddie giving him the sharp eyed glare telling him that she knew he was cheating with coffee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh, So mostly this has just been small moments leading up to the real ghost problem of the story, sorry for the long build up but I hope you’ll enjoy the rest.


	8. Chapter 8

Landing in a dark alley a block away from the Manson’s house Danny changed back and pulled up his scarf to cover his jaw. Digging his hand’s in to his pockets he walked hurriedly over the ice covered sidewalk his feet’s never slipping. He’d spent an hour the day before letting a man poke more needles in his skin than the actual suit that for some reason wasn’t as uncomfortable as he remembered his old one being.

Reaching the door he rang the doorbell and waited. A moment later Mr Manson opened it, the normal dislike for Danny was showing in his eyes as he made an attempt to smile. “Right on time for once.” He said taking a step to the side letting Danny in.

“If that’s Danny tell him to come up!” Shouted Sam from the top of the stairs. Mr Manson gave Danny a hard glare as he walked past him and hurried up the stairs to Sam’s room.

Closing her door behind him Danny let out a deep breath. “That was close.” He sighed and looked over at Sam who was standing in her bathroom applying makeup to her face. She’d pulled up her hair in to two pigtails again, a hairpin was holding her bangs out of her face as she worked.

“You can say that again.” She said applying eyeliner. Turning around Danny could see her full dress. It was long, of shoulder and black, layers of lace made an interesting picture at the front and Danny had caught a glimpse of a corset binding in the back. “You just had to take a punch tonight.” She said closing her eyeliner and letting her bangs out. “Show me the damage.” She ordered.

Pulling down the scarf Danny showed her. She hissed seeing the purpling bruise on his jaw. “It doesn’t feel that bad.” Sighed Danny putting a cold hand over the still forming bruise.

Picking up her makeup kit Sam stalked out of the bathroom, barefoot Danny noted. She grabbed his free hand and pushed him on to her computer chair. “But it looks horrible, not that I care much for how you look at these events but mom’s going to throw a fit if she sees it. What hit you the Boxghost, Skulker, Johnny?”

“I don’t know. My ghost sense didn’t go off. If I hadn’t seen it coming it might have hit me in the head and not my jaw.” Said Danny. He’d been doing a normal sweep of Amity Park making sure no ghost was around to cause trouble when he wasn’t there. He’d heard the sound as if a car backfired and when he’d looked around a rock sized cube had come flying at him from out of no were.

“Think it could be a ghost hunter or the GIW?” Asked Sam picking through her makeup to get the right shades to match Danny’s skin.

“All the ghost hunters I know of don’t have the ability to be stealthy or aim, if you don’t count mom. The GIW well they might have done it but I didn’t see them and they are pretty hard to miss.” Danny lowered his hand shaking out the cold and restoring normal blood flow to his fingers before they went numb and turned blue.

“Point. Hold still.” Sam made Danny look up as she started applying the makeup over the bruise. “So maybe your mom, or someone new. Couldn’t Vlad have made a try to catch you as well?” Asked Sam.

“Mom’s home helping dad with the fireworks and I don’t think Vlad would fire some cube at me. Could be Skulker from a distance that didn’t trigger my ghost sense but I doubt there’s some new hunter in town. Could just have been a misfired rocket.” He noticed that Sam had stuck glow in the dark stickers to her ceiling, some formed as bats some like ghosts and a few like stars, Danny had himself put stars up on the ceiling in his room trying to make them in to constellations when he was younger.

“Doubt it was a misfired rocket.” Her tong between her lips Sam squinted and Danny realized her eyes were a soft brown instead of their normal purple.

“Did you do something to your eyes?” he asked taking in the specs of green mingling in the brown.

Blinking Sam straightened. “Oh you haven’t seen me without the lenses.” She said a soft smile on her lips. “Don’t tell me you thought purple was my normal eye color?”

“Never thought about it before.” He said rather than agreeing to having thought her normal eye color was purple. Thinking about it he felt a bit stupid, you couldn’t have purple eyes naturally.

“Alright I think I’ve fixed the worst of the damage.” Said Sam taking a step back and eyeing him. “You know I could hid the bags under your eyes as well.” She said a wicked smile on her lips.

“No, I don’t do makeup, this is just a one of.” He poked the spot on his jaw wincing as it stung.

“Don’t smudge it.” Said Sam returning to the bathroom her makeup kit in hand. “And don’t put ice on it or you will undo my work.” She called from within the bathroom coming out a moment later her eyes the normal purple Danny was used to seeing.

He leaned forward putting his elbow on his knee and resting his jaw on his hand calling frost to it. “I won’t.” he smiled watching Sam sit down on the end of her bed and pull on a pair of high heeled boots, more delicate than the combat boots she normally wore. “Your mom couldn’t stop you from wearing boots I see.” He noted getting a sharp smile from Sam.

“She said I had to wear heals, not that I couldn’t wear boots. Besides if I wore any higher heels it would look ridiculous beside you.” She was right, even if Danny had grown in the last two years, Sam had at one point been taller than both him and Tucker before they started growing as well. Now they were the same height once more, Danny even had an inch on Sam when she wasn’t wearing her boots.

There was a knock on the door and Jeremy Manson poked his head in. “Samantha dear, it’s time to leave.” He said not bothering to look in Danny’s direction.

“Okay one moment.” She said lacing the boots and tying them tight to her legs. She jumped of the bed and picked up a necklace from a table as well as her Spector shield. “That should be it.” She picked up a small handbag and dropped her phone in to it. “Let’s go.” She sighed.

 

 

The Manson’s had many cars but more often than not used the limo to get around. Danny was feeling extremely uncomfortable sitting in the back with Sam, having Jeremy Manson glare at him during the short drive to one of the fanciest hotels in downtown Amity Park.

When they finally got out of the car Danny thought he was going to start coughing again but managed to tone it down to just clearing his throat. “You alright.” Asked Sam threading her arms around his.

“How long do we have to stay to satisfy your mom?” asked Danny straightening a bit feeling out of his element.

“The rest of the year.” Joked Sam glancing at her watch. “Or at least till midnight.” She was the one leading as they walked behind Jeremy, coat men took their jackets and coats before they proceeded to an elevator that took them up to the thirteenth floor.

When the doors opened Danny was certain that he was out of his element. The ballroom was huge, lavishly decorated with gold painted pillars, flower arrangements and crystal chandeliers hanging from painted ceiling’s depicting the sky, with gold painted birds flying across it. The people already there was dressed for the occasion and Danny suddenly felt really happy Sam had forced him in to the new suit. There was a live preforming violin band playing on a stage in a corner and people dancing on the dancefloor as others mingled and snacked on the buffet.

“Close your mouth Dummy.” Whispered Sam pulling Danny out of the elevator and in to the ballroom.

“What have you pulled me into?” Asked Danny looking around at the people, he recognized some as working in the mayor’s office and others as celebrities from TV, among them Lance Thunder with a group of women around him.

“My nightmare.” Said Sam looking around till she spotted a woman wearing a soft pink ball gown, white gloves and light brown hair pinned up in elegant curls. “There she is.” Sam pulled Danny towards her mother.

When Pamela Manson saw her daughter Danny could taste a faint hint of something bitter and sweet. “There you are Samantha, what took you so long to get here?” the woman asked standing primly in her high heels, her hands folded in front of her.

“We had to take the long way because of the limo mom. Now that you’ve seen I’m here I am going to find a dark corner and stay there until this thing ends.” Said Sam tugging at Danny’s arm.

“Oh please honey you have to meet Mrs Jeffeson, she’s the one who made this all possible with her connections to the hotel.” Said Pamela and before Sam could get out of her way the woman had her in a firm grip. Sam lost her grip on Danny’s arm and they were quickly separated by a sea of people.


	9. Chapter 9

“Oh great.” Sighed Danny looking around at the huge crowd. He didn’t like it, even the smiles on the teachers at school looked more real than the too broad, white toothed smiles on the people in this room.

He moved over to a corner with ease and placed his back against the wall watching Sam as her mother pulled her around to meet the filthy rich and influential people living in Amity Park. People who wasn’t Danny or Tucker.

“Now isn’t this a surprise.” Said an all too familiar woman walking over to Danny.

He had to do a double take, looking at the slim woman dressed in an elegant red gown, a stark contrast to her normal mute colored suit and white blouse. “Mrs Stewarts.” Said Danny looking around nervously wondering if Mrs Oswald or any other of the people he’d run in to during his stay in Wishing Hill was around. “I didn’t recognize you.”

Giving him a small genuine smile Mrs Stewarts stopped beside him. “It’s not every day I get to wear something fancy. What are you doing here?” She asked arms loosely crossed over her chest.

“Came for moral support to a friend.” He sighed finding the pink dressed woman in the crowd with ease.

“Who’s your friend?” Asked Mrs Stewarts following Danny’s eye’s.

“The goth who is probably boring that couple with a speech about animal rights.” Said Danny feeling the corners of his lips turn up. The couple in question had that polite smile on their faces that said nothing of what they were thinking.

“Oh that’s Pamela’s daughter.” Said Mrs Stewarts recognizing the woman beside Sam. “Well that explains a lot.”

“It does?” Asked Danny looking up at the tall woman.

“She started being active in these matters around the same time you came to live with Mrs Oswald and may have asked some inappropriate questions about you and your family.” Mrs Stewarts leaned against the wall beside Danny. “We interviewed the Manson family but it never came up that you were friend with their daughter.”

Sam had scared of the couple and her mother was moving her along to meet someone else. “Sam’s parents haven’t liked me sense the whole Circus Gothica thing.” Sighed Danny.

“What happened?” Asked Mrs Stewarts, her eye’s following the two Manson’s.

“Nothing really, her parents just don’t approve of her Goth fashion or interests.” Danny turned his eye’s on Mrs Stewarts. “Are you trying to get me to talk to you or something?” he asked.

Mrs Stewarts shrugged. “Just making small talk. You’ve been friends for long?”

Letting the obvious poking in to his personal life slide Danny turned back to watch Sam. She was giving another speech to some old man that looked actually interested in what she was saying. “For years.” He said catching the scent of a woman’s strong perfume.

Wrinkling his nose at the strong smell Danny began coughing. He covered his mouth with his arm and turned away from the crowd. “Wait here.” Said Mrs Stewarts before disappearing.

The coughing stopped and Mrs Stewarts returned a moment later a glass in hand. “Here, they didn’t have any water but I figure you like lemonade.”

Taking the glass Danny drank the slightly bubbling liquid grateful for its soothing effect on his throat. “Thanks.” He turned back to the crowd to find Sam again. The girl had seen him and was making her way through the crowd in his direction.

“No problem, you sure you should be here, Pneumonia is nothing you walk of in just a few days.” Said the woman looking around.

“Meh, Had worse, and the doctor said I could go, as long as I avoided, smoking or dancing.” Shrugged Danny smiling at Sam as she reached them. “Did you burn someone’s ears of?” he asked her.

Shrugging Sam crossed her arms. “Guilt tripped them in to leaving me alone, Sorry for leaving you, mom you know.” Danny nodded, hardly anything legal could stand between Pamela and her daughter. “So who is this you are talking to?” Asked Sam turning to eye Mrs Stewarts, taking in every little detail of her appearance.

When it was apparent Danny wasn’t going to introduce them the woman sighed. “Mrs Olivia Stewarts.” She said giving Sam a hand to shake.

The girl took it then tilted her head to the side. “Stewarts, that’s the social worker mom called after the mall incident.” Her eyes narrowed. “Danny’s social worker am I right.”

“Yeah.” Confirmed Danny. “And don’t be so aggressive Sam, she did let me come back to my parents after all.”

Sam shot him a glance. “Sure but you shouldn’t have been removed in the first place.” She let go of Mrs Stewarts hand. Danny shrugged and watched as a waiter was carrying a covered tray over to the buffet table.

“I am not going to argue with you on this Miss Manson, I am just glad to see that Danny has friends and now I think I am going to get the mayor to make a big donation to the cause of this evenings event.” She put on that same polite smile as everyone else was wearing, excused herself and then walked of in the direction of the silver haired mayor.

“That was easy.” Said Sam crossing her arms. “What did she want?”

“Just to talk. Guess she was surprised to see me here.” His stomach made a sound and Sam looked over at the buffet table.

“Shall we dig in?” she asked.

“Or prank the waiter.” Said Danny a wicked glint in his eyes. “Wait here.” He said going invisible.

“Oh you are not doing what I think you are.” Said Sam staring at the buffet table.

Going intangible Danny walked over to the table unseen by everyone around him. He waited for a waiter to come over with another covered plate. A little bit of maneuvering and a moment later he had his head under the cover turning it visible as the waiter lifted the lid. “Hey would you mind passing me that apple?” he asked a broad grin on his face.

The waiter screamed, jumped and dropped the lid back on to the plate. Turning invisible Danny snagged a couple of small sandwiches and walked back to Sam watching the frightened waiter and the people around him as he gingerly lifted the lid. He got concerned looks from the people around him when all they saw was a plate of sliced fruit.

Giggling Danny turned visible beside Sam. “You scared that pore guy out of his shoes.” Hissed Sam taking a sandwich from him inspecting its content, a crooked smile on her lips.

“It was funny though.” Danny forced himself to stop laughing before he started coughing again. “I get why Tucker loved that prank when he had ghost powers.” He munched on a cucumber sandwich.

“I’ll admit, it was pretty funny, but we can’t turn this in to a haunting or there won’t be any donations.” Sam took a bite of her sandwich.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t have fun and prank people.” Danny’s eyes landed on the refreshments table. “Do you think people like their drinks cold?”

Sam jabbed him in the side with an elbow. “Give it some time, let people calm down first.” Her eyes turned on an older man who was boring some younger woman. “How much can you babble on about space?”

Shoving the rest of the sandwich in his mouth Danny swallowed. “How far away from Earth do you want me to go?” he asked.


	10. Chapter 10

They switched between making people uncomfortable and annoyed, and some ghostly pranks involving freezing some of the drinks on the refreshment tables, blowing cold air on the back of someone’s neck, and generally confusing people.

Later they found themselves once more standing in a corner, a soda in hand laughing at their latest joke where Danny had distracted Lance Thunder’s conversation with Sam by blowing cold air at the back of his neck and finally dropping a small ice drop down the neck of his shirt making the man yelp as he tried to get the ice out from under his clothes.

“You know it’s pretty mean to do these pranks, right?” Said Danny catching his breath and drinking his soda.

“Sure but mom bullied me in to this to begin with, I rather have fun on new year’s eve than mingle around scaring people of by talking about the environment and animal rights.” Sam gave him a quick smile. “You have any more ghost pranks up your sleeves?”

Rubbing at his chin Sam slapped his hand. “Makeup.” She warned him.

“Sorry.” He put his hands around the cola can to have something to do with them. “I don’t think the Ghost imposed hookup is a good thing, and picking at the buffet invisible is just to ghostly.”

Sam hummed in agreement her eye’s traveling around the crowd. “Could make a slippery spot on the floor with your frost powers.” She said.

The music quieted down as the players were about to change the song. “You think we could do something to Vlad, I want to get back at him for what he has done, even if it’s just something small.”

Nodding Sam sipped at her own drink. “It’s a bit hard to get through to him thou. We could do the ice trick on him two but I think he would just shrug it off.”

“Yeah.” Danny rubbed at the back of his head. “Maybe send some annoying people his way or…” Danny trailed of his eye’s on the musicians as they started up at a faster beat. Then they music rose in volume again followed by an earsplitting ringing.

Dropping the can Danny pressed his hands against his ears. His heart skipped a beat as he was back in the snow the ghostly wail ringing in his ears. “Danny what’s wrong?” Asked Sam putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Can’t you hear it?” he asked squinting his eyes shut.

“Hear what?” Sam looked around but couldn’t see what he was talking about. “Okay let’s get out of here.” She said grabbing Danny’s arm and pulling him towards two doors that led to a corridor where the bathrooms were.

Dodging people Sam got them out of the ballroom and in to the corridor, the moment the door closed behind them Danny blinked. Stopping in his tracks he removed his hand’s from his ears. “The ringing is gone.” He said looking back at the door.

“What ringing? I could only hear the music in there.” Sam grabbed his arm and made him turn around to face her. “Are you alright?” She asked a concerned look on her face.

Nodding Danny rubbed at his ears as a shiver went up his spine. He coughed as the cold air in his chest moved through his throat and out his mouth in a bluish vapor. “Oh great Ghost attack.” No sooner had he said that, before a huge wolf like ghost phased through the wall at the opposite end of the corridor.

“That’s just great.” Commented Sam pulling herself closer to Danny.

“I’m going-“ Danny began.

“Camera.” Said Sam pointing at the thing hanging in the middle of the corridor.

Cursing Danny looked around for another option. Bathrooms were a no go, there could be people in there and going back to the room behind them would be equally dangerous. His eyes landed on the glowing green sign pointing at the door almost at the other end of the corridor. “Stairs.” Said Danny.

Sam nodded. “You sure?” she asked.

“You get the door and I’ll take care of beasty here.” Said Danny before running straight at the ghost. He could hear the fall of Sam’s heeled boots as she ran behind him.

The ghost wolf pounced and with a loud bark flung itself at Danny. Shifting his balance at the last second Danny pivoted to the side and flung out his leg hitting the creature hard in the side. Sam ran past him muttering about shoes and dresses that made ghost fighting impossible.

Danny followed closely after Sam. Shaking its head the ghost tried to get its jaw around Danny’s leg. He went intangible, the odd sensation of something ghostly passing through his body sent shivers down his spine. “Get some mouthwash will you.” He growled charging a ghost-ray at the wolf.

It hit the creature on the back slowing it down. Sam reached the fire-escape door and pulled it open. Grabbing her arm Danny pulled her in to the stairway narrowly avoiding another bite from the wolf, who hit the metal door instead. “Ow that’s going to be one nasty hangover.” Hissed Danny, knowing how much it hurt to fly headfirst in to a solid object.

“Stop commenting and start up the stairs.” Growled Sam tugging at his arm.

“Got it.” Danny got up and glanced around as he followed Sam up the stairs. There were cameras in here as well.

Shaking its head the wolf started running after them taking the steps three at a time. “Sam Shield.” Said Danny when the beast jumped at them claws extended.

“Down.” Shouted Sam turning around to fling out her right arm, smashing the button on the backside of the bracelet. Dodging behind Sam Danny avoided getting smashed in the face as well when the shield snapped in to place in front of Sam.

She hardly had time to plant her feet’s on the stairs before the ghost hit the shield. “Why didn’t we bring any more ghost fighting equipment to this stupid thing.” Growled Sam shifting her balance and shoving the wolf over the railing and down another set of stairs.

“There wasn’t supposed to be any ghosts.” Said Danny taking Sam’s arm and pulling her up towards the door to the roof. “By the way, has anyone ever told you that you look hot fighting ghost.”

Sam’s cheeks turned a shade darker as they reached the rooftop door. Danny didn’t bother to try opening it, he turned them both intangible and walked them through the door in to the cold winter air.

The ghost howled and Danny turned back to look at the door. “Going-“ The bark of a gun stopped him from finishing his catchphrase. Turning around to see what had made the sound Danny suddenly found himself covered in a net. The next second electricity coursed through it and he screamed letting go of Sam’s hand.

A chuckle made the two look up at who had fired the net. Skulker hovered in the air his green flaming hair illuminating the roof as he slowly reeled in the net lifting Danny of the ground. “And here I thought it was going to be hard to capture you ghost child, but this was simple.”

The electric current stopped flowing through the net leaving Danny curled up coughing and shaking in the net. “Skulker let him go.” Growled Sam still standing on the roof her eyes on both the door to the stairs and on Skulker.

“Or what, you don’t have any weapons on you, and he is powerless against me.” Said Skulker the grin on his face growing larger as he saw Danny try and go ghost once more. “Don’t think so whelp.” There was a beep from his suit and suddenly electricity ran through Danny’s body drawing a high pitched scream from him.

“Stop it!” Shouted Sam holding up the Fenton lipstick.

“What you going to give me a makeover? I have business with the ghost boy, go back to your party, I’ll hunt you another day.” He lifted the net so he could look Danny in the eyes. “Where is she?” he asked coldly.

Gritting his teethes Danny reached inside the pocket of his suit jacket. “Where is who?” He asked his voice hoarse once again.

“Ember! Where have you taken her?” Growled Skulker pulling up a shield when Sam fired at him.

“I don’t keep track of your girlfriend, try the crappy records shelf.” His hand closed around the thin object in his pocket. “Or maybe she dumped you.”

Skulker growled and sent electricity coursing through the net again making Danny scream in pain. “Tell me where you’ve taken her Whelp!”

Twisting Danny pressed the button on the pen he held, “Pen or the Sword.” He said gritting his teethes as the electricity stopped.

“What?” Asked Skulker confused by the question.

“The answer is pen.” Danny twisted around drawing the pen across the net slicing through it letting him drop out of the hole. He didn’t wait to go ghost this time, the rings appeared around him turning him in to Phantom before his feet’s hit the roof.

Roaring Skulker fired a wrist rocket at him. Danny had a shield up catching the explosive on it charging a ghost-ray in his free hand. “Why do you think I’ve taken your girlfriend.” He asked sending the blast of ectoplasmic pain at Skulker.

Dodging the ghost fired a new salvo of explosives at Danny. “Because you are the only one who could have captured her!” Roared Skulker.

Standing his ground Danny flung up another shield glancing back at Sam who had her own shield up protecting herself from the debris, eye’s fixed on the fight. “I release you back in to the ghost zone, I don’t keep prisoners.” He sent a ball of ghost power at Skulker who dodged it sending a laser ray at Danny. “Have you tried the GIW or some ghost hunters, they are the once who take prisoners.”

Rolling in the air Danny avoided the laser and returned fire. Rocket launchers folded out from the back of Skulker’s armor. “None of them would be able to capture her.” He roared firing the rockets.

Flinging up his arms Danny formed a shield in front of him catching the rockets. “I don’t take prisoners.”

“Behind you.” Shouted Sam from the ground. Turning around to see what she was shouting about Danny felt a tug at his belt, then next thing he knew the thermos attached to it exploded pushing him down to the roof.

Cursing Danny instinctively pressed a hand to his hip and turned back to Skulker, but not in time to stop the ghost from grabbing him by the front of his suit and pushing him in to the concrete box covering the stairs down. “Then where is she!” Growled Skulker.

Taking a wide stance Sam pointed the Fenton lipstick at Skulker. “Let him go-“ Skulker swatted the small weapon out of her hands and held a wrist rocket pointed to her face.

“Don’t try anything or your boyfriend gets staked.” As Skulker said that there was a sound as if someone pulling a sword out of its scabbard and Danny’s shoulder exploded in pain.

A choked sound halfway between a scream and a cough escaped Danny’s throat and he gripped Skulker’s arm holding on to it. “Don’t hurt her.” He managed to say between clenched teeth’s.

“I won’t yet. But you will tell me where I can find Ember now or this flesh wound won’t be the last of it.” Said Skulker his voice cold, his eye’s glowing bright through the eyeholes in his helmet.

“Told you I don’t know where she is. Haven’t run in to her in forever.” He glanced at Sam who shrugged.

“She came to your world to make music for that stupid game you gave Tecnus, that was a month ago, now where is she?” Asked Skulker twisting the thin blade in Danny’s shoulder drawing a whimper from him.

“Don’t know.” Hissed Danny tears blurring his vision.

“But we can help you find her.” Said Sam drawing Skulker’s eyes.

“Speak.” He ordered rocket still pointed at Sam’s face.

Meeting Danny’s confused eye’s she sighed. “Some people are just stupid.” She turned to Skulker. “The Fenton’s have ghost radar and detection equipment, if Ember is in town we can use it to find her.”

“Oh, yeah they’ve upgraded the system but there are still a few bugs in it.” Said Danny having forgotten about the Ops centers upgraded Ghost detection array that his Dad had spent an afternoon showing him when he got back to them.

“But it can find ghosts.” Said Sam giving him a sharp-eyed glare.

Nodding Danny looked at Skulker. “I’ll help you find Ember, okay. I don’t want her to be in the hands of some mad scientist from the government.”

Skulker was silent for a moment before he pulled the spike like sword out of Danny’s shoulder and swung an arm around Sam pointing the blade at her throat. “Alright Whelp, but double cross me and your girlfriend will taste my blade, and I doubt she heals as fast as you.”

Hovering Danny pressed a hand to his bleeding shoulder calling frost to the hand. He met Sam’s eyes. “It’ll be fine.” She said crossing her arms and glaring up at Skulker. “And he’s not my boyfriend.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking for Ember with a gun pinted at his head Danny has had just about enought of Skulker when he finds something intresting.

Sinking through the roof to the Ops center Danny landed near the hatch from the house and flipped the switch turning on the lights. Skulker landed on the table in the middle of the room and looked around. “So where is this Radar?” he asked.

“On the roof.” Sighed Danny gliding over to a set of controls and monitors turning them on.

“Hey Skulker, not that I don’t mind the carrying part, these heels are a pain but I’d like to stand on my own feet’s if that’s all the same to you.” Said Sam. Skulker had carried her at knife point all the way, warning Danny from trying to do anything smart or she’d get spiked.

The ghost shrugged and unceremoniously dumped Sam on the floor a wrist rocket pointed at her. “What is this place?” he asked, “Didn’t I chase you and that puny blonde up here once?”

“This is mom and dad’s hobby project, they put a lot of things that can’t go in the basement up here.” Answered Danny typing in his password to the computer. “And you did chase me and Dash up here after dad hit us with his Fenton Crammer.” Danny still remembered the run up the house, Skulker at their heels and his powers slowly turning him in to Fenton right in front of Dash. Good thing Dash was an idiot and couldn’t figure out what was staring him right in the face.

“Have you found where Ember is yet.” Asked Skulker his eye’s digging in to Danny’s neck as he punched in commands on the keyboard.

“It takes time, The array needs to charge up and the search perimeters needs to be specified.” Typing in another command the hidden files Tucker had put on the computers loaded up and he pressed the one named Ember.”

“What is that?” Asked Skulker shooting Sam a glance when she tried to move towards Danny.

“This is information I’ve gathered from my fights with Ember, how her powers work and what can be done to stop her.” He glanced over at Skulker. “It’s like the data you have on me and other ghosts in your suit’s computer.”

“Are you going to tell him everything about this stuff?” Asked Sam glaring daggers at Skulker.

“I’m not telling him anything he can’t figure out on his own.” Said Danny, punching in a command and hitting enter. The screen changed showing a map of the city, a green wave coming from the center where the Fenton Works were located, a bar of information to the right. “Scans underway can you stop pointing that thing at Sam now.” He turned around to glare at Skulker.

“I think not. How long will it take until you find her?” he asked eyes fixed on the monitor.

“Depends. I put in her ecto-signature for the thing to scan for but it can take up to an hour before the thing has run its course.” A beep drew his attention making Danny turn around to stare at the screen where a 0% match was showing in red letters . “Or less.”

A growl grew from Skulker’s throat. “What is wrong with it?”

“Give me a sec, this is not as simple as it looks.” Said Danny, but in reality it was made for even his dad to understand and essentially very user-friendly. He opened the folder on Skulker and set the array to scan for him. Almost immediately there was a beep from the console and the map suddenly zoomed in on the house locating Skulker in the Ops center. “The thing is working, so why isn’t it finding Ember if she’s in the city.”

“Have you tried looking outside of Amity Park. What’s the range on that thing?” Asked Sam moving towards him but stopping when she heard the sound of Skulker’s weapons powering up.

“I’ll extend the-“ he winced, he had moved his right arm to reach a wheel on the console and pain from the wound had shot up his arm and neck.

Sam spun on one heel, hands on her hips to glare up at Skulker. “Let me tend to Danny’s wound or he’ll bleed out before we even find Ember.”

Looking from Danny who avoided moving his shoulder to the goth, her anger showing in every part of her dressed up being, Skulker shrugged. “Very well, but try anything and I will use you as target practice.”

“Fine.” Sam turned around and walked over to the fridge where she pulled down a first aid kit that had been standing there collecting dust for the last year and a half since they last used it. “Danny unzip your suit.” She ordered putting the first aid kit on a stool.

Complying Danny scrolled through a list of settings with one hand, unzipping the jumpsuit with the other. “I think this will increase the radius of the search.” He said pressing enter and watching as the map zoomed out.

“Stop floating.” Said Sam peeling back the sticky right side of Danny’s jumpsuit to expose his shoulder and the oozing hole. Hissing in distaste Sam got a swab from the kit and poured disinfectant over the cut.

Biting his lower lip Danny stared at the screen ignoring the pain as Sam cleaned out the wound. “I can put my thumb through this.” She said poking at it.

“Please don’t.” Said Danny shivering at the thought. The consul beeped showing a 0% match in the search again. “For fuck sake.” Danny slammed his fist on the consul, more because of Sam’s poking of his injury than the frustration of finding nothing.

“I guess you won’t need any more medical attention.” Said Skulker raising his wrist to point it at Danny.

Turning around to face Skulker Danny glared at the ghost. “Shoot me then, blame your problems on me, everyone else do.” Skulker met his eyes. “Or you can stop threatening us long enough for me to come up with something.”

The corner of Skulker’s mouth turned up. “I’ve learned that people work a lot better with a gun pointed at their head. Now any last words Whelp before I put your pelt up on my wall.”

“That’s going to be a trophy.” Said Danny green eyes gleaming. “In memory of the time you failed to find your girlfriend.”

Growling Skulker moved up to put the tip of the weapon against his forehead. “You have one more try, Whelp.” He then moved back. “Stop wasting time on small injuries human, he’ll be dead soon anyways.”

Glaring up at Skulker Sam gripped Danny’s shoulder and had him turn around to face the screens again. “What now?” she asked.

Closing his eyes Danny thought back to the afternoon he spent listening to his dad bladder on about the new and improved scanning array. He remembered how it was more accurate and would find every ghost in town if not specified. Opening his eye’s Danny typed in the command for a normal search for all ghosts. “This is just a test.” He said glancing at Skulker. “The results doesn’t mean anything.”

Letting out a breath Sam returned to poking the wound on his shoulder. “It’s deep enough for stiches, but this kit doesn’t have the tools needed.” She said taking a step back. “Take of the top of your jumpsuit Danny, I’ll put a bandage around it, hopefully the pressure will keep it from bleeding more.”

Nodding Danny shrugged out of his jumpsuit top and tied the arms of it around his waist, still thinking of different ways to scan for ghosts. From his place at the table Skulker let out a laugh. “What so funny?” Asked Danny letting Sam arrange his arm’s so she could get the bandages to put pressure on the wound.

“You expose your back to your enemies to easily. One shot and you’d be dead.” Said Skulker his ray held pointed at Danny’s back.

“Take a closer look Skulker, I have less scars on my back than my chest. Not many ghost can get me from behind.” The only scars on his back had been left there by Vlad, or the ground.

“Still easy, I am very tempted to see how fast you heal from a ecto-burn to the back.” Mused Skulker his weapon buzzing.

“Sure but at the moment we are on the same side.” Danny turned his head to look at the ghost. “We both want to find Ember and as soon as we have, me and Sam is going back to that stupid event and raiding the buffet.”

The monitors beeped and showed three red dots on the map. One at the hotel where Vlad probably was, the signature registered there was weak and distorted. The others came from Danny and Skulker, two dots in the Ops center. “I guess that was your last try whelp.” Said Skulker rising in to the air gun glowing.

“It was just a test, stop hovering over me, it’s distracting.” Sighed Danny tapping at the arrow keys eye’s staring at the information box to the right. He heard Skulker’s metal boots hit the floor behind him. “Thanks.” He muttered.

Sighing Sam tied of the loose end of the bandage. “Alright that’s the best I can do for now, how’s it feeling?”

Moving his shoulders and arms Danny nodded. “It’ll work, thanks.” He gave Sam a quick smile before his eyes landed on a shelf at the back of the room. The wheels started turning in his head and he glided over to the shelf running his finger over the binders there.

“Now is not the time for reading, get back to work.” Growled Skulker his foot tapping impatiently on the floor.

“Sure.” Danny picked out a folder that had less dust on it than the others and floated back over to the console flipping through hand drawn schematics and handwritten notes in his mom’s elegant hand and post-it notes in his dad’s blocky hand.

Scanning the notes and schematics Danny heard the whirl of a ecto-ray powering up, the faint glow from its primed tip illuminating the writing. “Get back to work whelp, or your friend will clean up your brains from the consol.”

Pushing the tip of the primed weapon away from his face with a finger Danny lifted his eye’s to glare at Skulker. “I am working. This is the manual, I need to change some settings and don’t know how to make the thing do what I want.”

Blinking Skulker looked down at the scribbled notes. “You read the manual.” He said a hint of amusement on his face. “What are you a nerd?”

“Do you know how to make anything in this place work without a manual?” Asked Danny turning back to the pages. “Cus I don’t and I live here.” He turned to the controls and started flipping switches, spinning wheels and punching in commands seemingly at random.

“Care to tell me what your great plan is?” Asked Skulker having stepped back to let Danny work.

“Something Star Treky.” He punched in a series of commands that his mom had scribbled down on a list. “I’m going to try scanning for everything and see where the signal can’t penetrate.”

“Why should there be places where you can’t scan?” asked Sam having returned the first aid kit to its dust gathering spot on top of the refrigerator and was now sitting on the stool beside Danny.

“Some places are shielded, like the basement, so the energy from the ghost portal won’t confuse the signal. I am willing to bet Vlad shields his home from scans to keep the GIW or mom and dad from finding his secret lab or just randomly picking up his ghost signature.”

“And this is going to help us find Ember how?” Asked Skulker his foot tapping the floor again.

“The scans haven’t picked up her signature because she’s ether 1. Not in Amity Park, 2. Dead and gone. 3. In the ghost zone, or 4. In a location where the scans can’t pick up her signature.” He hit enter and the screen flared up almost blinding them. “But this is a long shot, there aren’t any places in Amity Park other than the once I just told you about, that are shielded.”

Skulker huffed. “You are a nerd.”

They didn’t have to wait long before the computer had the results they were looking for. “Vlad’s house, Axion Labs, the basement and a place on 4th and Maybell road.” Said Danny pointing at the black box on the map.

“That’s low income residential housing, abandoned apartment complex awaiting urban development and demolishing.” Said Sam her arms crossed. “There you go Skulker, now will you leave us alone, there’s a boring party we have to get back too.” She glared at the hunter ghost.

“Not yet.” Skulker grabbed Sam around the waist and held the gun pointed at her head. “If this is made to keep ghosts in and hidden then there must be a human involved. You’ll come with me as my hostage.” His eyes went to Danny, who’s hands were glowing with charged ghost-rays. “Thanks for your help, Ghost nerd.” Skulker went invisible and left the Ops center.

Cursing Danny smashed the off button on the console and flew up after Skulker shrugging his jumpsuit back on. The hatch to the rest of the house opened and Jack poked his head in to the Ops center, looking around before creeping up to the refrigerator in which he found a full box of fudge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi so I don’t think Danny’s an idiot, he just needs to apply himself to his studies and he could be a straight A student.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not only did they stumble upon a secret but one of Danny's nightmares as well.

Skulker didn’t stay invisible for long letting Danny catch up to him before they reached the building the Fenton scanner couldn’t scan. It was in one of the worst neighborhoods in town, the street lights were busted or flickered, cats screamed in alleys hardly any cars moved past on the street. The buildings themselves were old brick that were falling apart, windows were busted or boarded up and heavy security chains kept the lawful out.

Floating around the building Danny noted that every chain and lock except for one was old and rusted. Skulker hovered over his shoulder as Danny reached to phase through the door. He stopped almost touching the door. “What’s wrong, you afraid to go in?” Skulker made to phase through it.

Flinging out an arm Danny stopped him. “Don’t, I think it’s trapped.” He reached for the door and keeping himself solid he touched the door. He could feel it there a slight vibration, a hum in the metal. Moving his hand to the wall beside the door the hum disappeared. Dipping his head in through the wall and looking at the door from the inside Danny smiled. “It’s booby-trapped.” He said phasing through the wall with the rest of his body.

Walking through the wall behind him Skulker and Sam looked at the door and whistled at the fence humming with electricity from a spliced power cable. “An iron fence coated with ectoplasmic residue preventing a ghost from phasing through it and frying him at the same time.” Said Skulker inspecting the fence. “This is some clever trap, you have good instincts Phantom. I have to come up with new traps for the next time I hunt you.”

“Shocker, I would have let you walk in to that but you are still carrying Sam.” Sighed Danny glancing at Sam who had her arms crossed and looked almost as bored as she had in the ball room. “How’s it hanging.”

Rolling her eyes Sam gave Danny a raised eyebrow. “Stop joking around and find Ember. And you are ghosts, you walk through walls and can fly, why put a trap only in front of the door.” She pointed with a thumb at the powered fence as they walked through dark halls.

“Force of habit.” Said Danny his arm held out, hand sliding over the walls feeling for more vibrations or hums.

“Clarify.” Said Sam glancing at Skulker who floated after Danny.

“Think about it Sam, you don’t just enter a building through any wall or roof, you walk through the door. The ghost zone has a tone of doors that you walk through to get to other dimensions and it helps you orientate your way through a building.” Danny stopped at a door and held a glowing hand up to get a better look at it. It was the door to the basement and unlike the rest of the doors this one was a brand new security door. “Statistically speaking, a humanoid ghost will use the door 9 times out of 10 were as there’s a 30% chance of a beast like ghost using the door, but they are also not as likely to haunt houses.”

“Is it just me or is he a nerd on this subject to?” Asked Skulker looking down at Sam.

She shrugged. “His parents are ghost hunters, they will never stop talking about ghost, he’s bound to pick up some useless trivia from them every now and again.” Letting the remark slide Danny tried to phase his hand through the door but found it even more solid under his palm. Landing on the floor he tried to phase down but another solid barrier met his feet’s when he was up to his knees in floor. “Something wrong?” Asked Sam.

“There’s something stopping me from phasing through stuff.” He said trying to go around the door finding that the barrier was there as well.

“If you can’t phase through it blast through it.” Said Skulker a large canon popping up from his shoulder.

Sighing Danny took Sam’s hand, turning them intangible as he let Skulker blast away at the door. After two canon blasts there was only a dent in it. “I think it’s reinforced to withstand ghost bombardments.” Yawned Sam.

“Hey Skulker hold your fire for a moment.” Said Danny, giving the ghost a moment to comply. He let go of Sam and walked over to the door. Placing both hands on the cold metal he took a deep breath and his eyes shifted color.

“What are you planning Whelp?” Asked the ghost. Danny ignored him drawing on the icy feeling in his chest he watched as frost bloomed out from where his palms pressed against the metal. Closing his eyes he concentrated forcing his powers to sink deep in to the metal.

A groaning sound from the door made him open his eyes and smile. He let go of the now frost covered door and walked back to Sam and Skulker. “Try blasting it now.” He said taking Sam’s hand and turning them intangible in time to avoid getting shredded when Skulker fired another canon blast at the door and it shattered in to small pieces.

“You’ve been listening to your science teachers I see.” Said Skulker putting away the canon. “After you.”

Rolling his eyes Danny squeezed Sam’s hand before letting go to walk through the shattered remains of the door. The stairs, walls and ceiling were all painted white. Brushing against it Danny felt like he was scraping his nails against the school blackboard. Emergency light fixtures illuminated the way down.

Charging a ghost-ray to illuminate his way better Danny floated down the stairs making sure not to touch anything. At the bottom of the stairs was another door, putting his hand against it Danny couldn’t feel any hum of power. Carefully he made his hand intangible and phased it through the door without a problem. “We can phase here.” He said before walking through the door.

On the other side was a large dark room. The only light came from a cube up against the far wall and a set of computer screens glowing beside it. Danny’s stomach turned in to a knot, his instincts screaming at him to get away, to run. Skulker phased through the door behind him pushing Danny forwards.

His mouth dry Danny floated forward trying to look at anything but the cube, but his eye’s kept wondering back to it. “Ember!” Shouted Skulker dropping Sam and flying past Danny to the cube.

Danny stayed put staring at the scene inside. The light came from the strong lamps hanging over the cube, shining down on a limp form lying on a metal table, smaller tables holding surgical instruments and machines that belonged in a metal and wood workshop was standing around in what space was left on the floor in the room. Ectoplasmic green covered most of the instruments and had discolored the floor.

The limp form on the table didn’t move when Skulker banged in to the cube. She didn’t move at all, not even her normal flaming hair was moving. Sam’s fingers wrapped around Danny’s clenched fist. They watched as Skulker smashed at the cube, blasting it with rockets and ghost-rays, bombarding it with his canon and missiles. Nothing penetrated it.

Turning around he came at Danny grabbing him by the front of his suit. “What are you standing there for get her out!” He shouted at Danny before throwing him across the room.

Danny smashed in to the thick translucent wall of the cube, sinking down to stand with his back towards the scene. “Open IT!” Shouted Skulker. Swallowing Danny turned his head to look at Ember.

Someone, probably the same person who had ghost proofed the place had strapped her to the table at her wrist and ankles. She had lighting burns crawling up her wrists, small cuts littered her skin leaving it looking more green than blue. Her right eye was missing leaving a hollow in the socket and the left side of her head had been cut open revealing what looked like a glowing, green brain, thin metal pins sticking in to it.

Turning away Danny covered his mouth, feeling like he was going to throw up. Tears blurred his vision. Skulker flew at the cube smashing in to it beside Danny. “Do something, get her out!”

Forcing himself to swallow the bitter taste in his mouth Danny floated over to the computers. One of the screens showed a four angled view of Ember, another showed some kind of data and the third what looked like some kind of security system. But there was nothing there that seemed to open the door to the cube. “I can’t.” croaked Danny pressing different key’s trying to find the right one.

“Then what use are you!” Skulker started bombarding the cube again not letting up this time.

Taking a deep breath Danny turned to the video files and flickered through them till he found one where a man dressed in a hazmat suit not unlike the once his parents made walked up to the cube door and a moment later it opened. Either it was a timer or he had something that triggered the locking mechanism.

“Overload it.” Said Danny glancing over at Skulker. “Don’t try and smash it Overload the electronics.”

Turning to him Skulker pressed his hands against the wall and a moment later green sparks started flying over his armored body. Danny walked over to Sam who hadn’t moved from the spot where he’d left her. She had a hand covering her mouth tears gleaming in her eye’s, but she had too much self-control to let them fall. Her hand found his and she gripped it hard, nails biting in to his skin through the thick fabric of the gloves.

The cube showed no sign of breaking or opening, Skulker’s roar wind down to a pitiful sub as the sparks stopped flying. “Wail.” Whispered Sam her eye’s never leaving the scene in front of her.

“Skulker get out of the way.” Said Danny his voice thick. The great hunter turned to him before stepping to the side. Swallowing hard Danny took a deep breath, it wasn’t hard to call upon his wail, he wanted to scream, to cry out his fear, his pain, the cold anger building up in his chest.

The wail hit the cube cracking it with its first wave, spreading the cracks for every wave that hit it until the doorframe broke letting the thick door fall inwards, crashing in to the instruments. Stopping his wail as his hair turned black and his jumpsuit started to melt in to his dress suit, Danny watched Skulker run in, removing the things sticking in to Ember’s brain, smashing the restraints and simply gather her up in his arms, all the while calling her name.

“We should go.” Said Sam. Looking down at her Danny could see she was shaking.

“One more thing.” Said Danny lifting his hand he aimed and fired a ghost-ray at the computer station, blasting it in to small pieces. Flinching Skulker looked up from Ember, his eye’s landed on the wrecked computers than turned to Danny and Sam. “Is… Is she going to be alright?” Asked Danny his hair turning white once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Que Danny’s worst nightmare.


	13. Chapter 13

They didn’t say anything as the four of them flew back to Fenton Works, Danny carrying Sam and Skulker holding Ember pressed close to his chest. They phased through the walls and floors of the house till they landed in the dark basement. It was a mess down there, his dad hadn’t cleaned up any of his failed attempts at creating a new explosive that was going to melt the ectoplasm of a ghost when hit.

Letting go of Sam Danny walked over to the controls for the ghost portal. He removed his right glove and pushed his thumb to the genetic lock. There was a hiss of air and then the blast doors covering the portal opened.

“You know what this means right, ghost child?” Asked Skulker not moving from where he hovered in front of the portal. Danny turned to look at him. “I am going to stop at nothing to hunt down the human who did this to Ember.”

“I know.” Answered Danny feeling cold and empty inside.

“Will you stand in my way?” The question had more weight to it than anything Skulker had said that night.

“I have to.” Sighed Danny feeling a lump settling in to the pit of his stomach.

“Then I will destroy you to.” Growled the ghost turning his head to glare at Danny. “Ask yourself this child, Who is the real monster in this scenario, humans or ghosts?” He stepped through the portal before Danny could answer.

What would he have answered, Ghosts, the monsters his mom and dad had taught him to fear, the reason he was afraid of revealing his half ghost status. Or the humans, his mom and dad who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at what he had just seen. Lifting his thumb from the genetic lock, the blast doors closed leaving him and Sam in complete darkness once more.

“Humans.” Said Sam. Danny could see her outline in the dark thanks to the faint glow of his aura. “In this scenario, humans are the monsters.” She said walking up to him.

“Yeah but are they always. Mom and Dad-“ Danny broke of his voice too thick for him to speak.

Sam put her hand on his, the warm touch felt somehow alien on his cold skin. “They can’t go that far Danny. They would realize that what they were doing were wrong.”

Shaking his head Danny rubbed at his eyes. “No they wouldn’t. They don’t think ghost can feel emotions, they think hearing a ghost scream means that their inventions are working. But you saw Skulker, he doesn’t have one single emotion to go on, he could feel them all, anger, sadness, loss, love, hatred, amusement.” Danny gritted his teeth’s. “He isn’t a mindless beast, only haunting people for their emotions, if he were he wouldn’t care for Ember.”

Leaning against him Sam hummed in agreement. “Then we have to prove that they are wrong, show them that ghosts are just like humans. Some are monsters whereas some just wants to be left alone. Just like some humans are monsters that doesn’t care if they hurt a sentient being or not.”

“I feel like I am the monster standing between Skulker and the man who did this to Ember.” Danny leaned in to the warmth coming from Sam wanting to feel something other than cold.

“If you didn’t you wouldn’t be a hero.” Said Sam her grip tightening on his hand. “We will make sure this guy gets the justice he deserves the right way, not the vigilante justice Skulker will deal out.”

“How, It’s not against the law to dissect ghosts. Hell ghost hunting is a professional occupation that even the government recognizes. Ghost justice might be the only thing that can get this guy.” Danny removed his hand from Sam’s and hugged himself. “There is no way to make this right, there just isn’t.”

Sighing Sam turned to stand in front of Danny. “Not if we leave things as they are, no. But we can make a difference, you can and that’s how we’ll get this guy. We don’t sit around doing nothing. We make people see the truth and make this monster pay for what he’s done.”

Danny stared in to Sam’s hard eye’s, his own glowing green reflected in them. Then he felt the smile creep on to his lips. If anyone could make a change it was Sam, she had the determination and know how to make her stubborn mom get involved in something for charity. She could make people see the wrong in this and take a stance to make it right. “You are scary you know that.” Said Danny relaxing his shoulders a bit.

“Flattery. Come on we should get back to the hotel before mom find’s out we left.” She offered Danny her hand. Putting on his glove Danny took it, turning her around to get a better hold around Sam he lifted them both up and out through the roof.

 

 

The bell hit midnight before they got back to the party. Going intangible Danny lifted them higher up in the air avoiding fireworks that exploded all around them. Once they were high enough up to not get hit by any explosions Danny stopped. “This is beautiful.” Sighed Sam holding on to Danny’s arms around her waist. Nodding Danny put his head on Sam’s shoulder and watched the fireworks display with her.

After a moment Sam shivered and Danny remembered that it was in the middle of winter and she didn’t have a jacket on. Slowly he flew them back to the roof of the hotel where the green stain of his ectoplasm could still be seen on the wall.

Taking a breath Danny changed back, the aches and pains of his body growing in intensity as he did. “I’ll go and talk to mom, tell her that we are leaving.” Said Sam opening the door to the stair. There was no sign of the wolf ghost that had chased them up in the first place.

She gripped Danny’s hand when he showed no sign of moving. Letting Sam lead him in and down the stairs back to the 13th floor he felt oddly grateful for the warmth of her touch. They stopped in front of the door leading back to the ball room. “I’ll be by the buffet.” Sighed Danny giving her hand a squeeze before they walked back in.

The sound of the packed ballroom hit Danny as soon as the door opened. It was warm and stuffy, smelling of sweet perfume and salty food. Letting go of Sam’s hand Danny walked over to the spot in the corner by the buffet they had claimed before were as Sam hunted down her mother in the crowd.

Feeling a bit sick at the thought of the people in this room toasting the new year with champagne and laughing Danny scowled down at his shoes. They were all ignorant to what had gone down that night, ignorant to the horrors he and Sam had witnessed. It was wrong, they shouldn’t be laughing or toasting, they should be angry hunting down the man who’d hurt Ember and make him pay.

“That was a cruel prank to play, Daniel.” Said the silky smooth voice of Vlad Master. Glancing to the side Danny could see the man standing beside him a glass of bubbling champagne in his hand.

“What prank?” Asked Danny glaring at the man. He could have done it, he had the equipment and money to ghost proof a basement and dissect Ember.

“The ghost mosquito sound you made the speakers play before, when you and miss Manson left.” Said Vlad tugging at his ear. “It wasn’t easy to remove the mp3 player you plugged in without looking suspicious.”

“Blame Skulker, it was his doing not mine.” Grumbled Danny. Vlad couldn’t be the one, he had his own lab, his own shielded home and yet. “Do you know where Ember is?” Asked Danny before thinking it through.

Vlad shrugged and looked around at the people in the room. “Haven’t the foggiest.” His eyes turned back to Danny narrowing. “Why do you ask?”

“No reason.” Muttered Danny going back to staring at his shoes. He believed Vlad, the man didn’t have a reason to hurt her or experiment on her, he didn’t even have to hide her in some dark basement and act human, that wasn’t his style.

Feeling Vlad put his hand on Danny’s shoulder he glared up at the man. “What?” he asked not bothering to hide his anger.

“What has gotten you this upset little badger, did you have a fight with your girlfriend?” asked Vlad, the words taunting in Danny’s ears.

“Leave me alone, you creepy old fruity loop.” Hissed Danny showing his sharp teeth’s and moving away from the annoying man.

He walked through the crowd in front of the buffet, scanning the room for Sam, as a hand gripped his right shoulder. He was about to punch Vlad in the nose when he turned around to find Mrs Stewarts, her manicured hand lightly placed on his shoulder. “Hey what’s the matter?” she asked. Could everyone see that he was angry, wondered Danny forcing himself to relax his fingers that had curled up in to fists.

“Nothing.” He said but the anger was there in his voice, he couldn’t hide it.

“It’s something.” Remarked Mrs Stewarts before casting a look around. “Did something happen between you and your friend?” she asked.

Knowing that she meant well didn’t make Danny any less angry, it just made him more frustrated. “She’s talking to her mom, we are leaving.” Said Danny trying to sound calmer.

The woman’s hand moved from his shoulder to his jaw lifting his chin up. At first he thought she did it to make him look her in the eye’s but then he saw her eyes stair at the side of his jaw. “Did someone hit you?” She asked meting Danny’s eye’s.

He lifted his hand to cover the bruise. “I fell down.” He said shrugging. “I think I see Sam, see you.” He said moving away from the woman heading towards the elevator.

Sam was standing beside it talking to her mother who had that stubborn look on her face where she looked at everything except for the person speaking to her. “…it has been fun Mom but we are leaving now.” Finished Sam as Danny got to her side.

“Are you sure, there’s still a lot of people you haven’t met yet, I haven’t even introduced you to Mrs Stewarts.” Said Pamela Manson waving a hand at the person Danny had just left behind.

“We have met mom, and I am tired. I am going to leave now, there’s no need to call the limo out, I am taking a cab.” Sam hooked her arm around Danny’s and pulled him in to the elevator that just opened. “Nice timing.” Whispered Sam to Danny.

“Yeah.” Sighed Danny meeting Mrs Stewarts eye’s before the doors to the elevator closed.


	14. Chapter 14

People all had different traditions on new year’s eve, some didn’t celebrate, some didn’t even celebrate the same new year others celebrated it later in the year. At the Fenton house however there was only one tradition that mattered. To keep Jack Fenton away from the fireworks and the pyrotechnics until midnight.

He was great at putting on a pyrotechnic display thought Jazz, but he had no patience so if they didn’t stop him from testing one after another there wouldn’t be any fireworks to send up when the time came. After the display however there wasn’t much more to do. Jazz and Danny had always been the first to go to bed their mom taking care of the dishes from that days late dinner and their dad would cleaning up after his fireworks.

This year was different. Jazz had been happy to hear that Sam wanted to bring Danny to a party and she had made sure to do everything she could to convince their parents that it was good for Danny to go, that was after she made sure they gave Danny some space. She couldn’t really blame them for worrying, after the thing with the CPS she was glad they hadn’t actually been found guilty of hurting Danny. But it still showed in how they acted, they had said goodbye to Danny when he left for Sam’s earlier in the evening and Jack had tried to do his fireworks tests but the energy wasn’t there.

After the pyrotechnic display Jack and Maddie had both cleaned up and Jazz found herself in the living room refereeing a chess game between the two adults. She heard the car pull up on the curb outside and saw her mom lift her head to stare at the door. Jack took this opportunity to move a pawn to a more strategic position.

“Mom, Dad’s cheating.” Said Jazz but her mother didn’t move.

“It’s your move Mads.” Said Jack turning to look at the door himself. The two were hopeless, they had stared at the door every time they’d heard a car go past even when they hadn’t heard anything they had imagined they did.

When the door opened and Danny walked in a mumbled. “I’m home.” Jazz saw his mom’s shoulders relax.

“Hi sweetie. Was the party fun?” Asked Maddie turning back to the board game, spotting her husband’s move and correcting it.

“It was fine.” Said Danny shrugging with his left shoulder. Jazz’s eye’s where glued to him at once, she knew her brother and when he said “Fine” he meant the exact opposite. “I’m going to bed, don’t wake me in the morning.” He yawned but it was forced.

Stretching Jazz got up from her seat between her parents. “You know sleep sounds really good. Mom, Dad finish the game peacefully will you.” Yawned Jazz before walking up the stairs after Danny.

He glared at her but when she walked in to her room she saw him relax a bit. She wanted to talk to him, to ask him what was wrong. But she also knew that if she pressured him to talk he would do his best not to.

So Jazz put on her pajamas, brushed her teeth’s and listened to her parents go to bed as she wrote in her diary. She wished she had as good a hearing as Danny, then she could tell if people were asleep or moving around. She was just about to crawl in to bed thinking Danny wouldn’t talk to her when her phone buzzed.

Picking it up she saw a message from Danny: You still up? He asked. Answering Jazz put down the phone and sat back down on her desk chair. A moment later Danny phased through the wall from his room. He had put on a pair of soft sweatpants and a black t-shirt, his hair was messy and Jazz could see a bruise color the left side of his jaw.

“What’s up little brother?” she asked watching him pace back and forth in front of her bed. He sighed and looked at her mixed emotions playing over his face. “Something happened?”

“You can say that again.” Sighed Danny sitting down on her bed and wincing.

“You are hurt.” Jazz reached down and pulled out the bottom drawer of her desk where she still had a first aid kit stashed away. When Danny didn’t answer she looked up at him trying to figure out what was bothering him. It wasn’t easy not everything she learned in school applied to Danny. “Was the party fun?” she pressed trying to make him talk about anything.

“It was boring.” Sighed Danny lifting a hand to his right shoulder, making a face. So that was the injury, thought Jazz, now to make him let her take care of it.

“Was Sam wearing a pink dress or did she actually get the goth version she wanted?” She asked.

The corners of Danny’s mouth turned up. “She had a black and purple dress, it suited her.” He said then sighed heavily looking up at Jazz, she couldn’t read his face at all. She had always been able to tell what emotions he was feeling and after finding out about his ghostpowers she could also figure out why, but now she felt like she was a child again unable to read even the simplest facial expressions.

“I am guessing a ghost showed up or you wouldn’t be hurt. Will you show me?” she asked holding up the first aid kit.

Tugging at the back of his t-shirt Danny pulled it off. There was growing bruises and scratches on his right hip, and white bandages wound under his arms and over his right shoulder where they were turning a dark scarlet. “Skulker showed up.” He sighed.

Jazz walked over to sit on the bed next to him peeling up the bloody section of the bandages to see what she was dealing with. “Did anyone else get hurt, I didn’t hear anything on the radio?”

“No, he lured us up on to the roof. We had a small fight and he blew up my thermos.” Said Danny making a face as Jazz poked at the wound. It was roundish and went straight through his shoulder avoiding bone and any major blood vessels.

“And he stabbed you.” She noted taking out a pair of safety scissors from her first aid kit. She cut away at the bandages exposing the wound completely. “Has this been cleaned?” she asked tossing the bloody bandages in to her trash bin.

“Yes on both fronts.” Sighed Danny.

Getting a needle and thread from her kit Jazz glanced at Danny’s face again. “But you didn’t just kick his ass and send him back in to the ghost zone, something happened.” She guessed.

“I didn’t kick his ass at all. I helped him.” Said Danny a shiver going through his body. “He was looking for Ember and I helped him find her.” His jaw clenched.

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” She dipped the needle in disinfectant before poking it in to Danny’s skin.

“I don’t know if she is alive Jazz.” He said voice unsteady. “We didn’t find her in a record store, she was strapped to a table in a containment box like the one down in the lab.”

Jazz paused and looked at Danny suddenly understanding his expressions, he was angry and afraid. She knew he didn’t like Ember after the love thing she pulled on him once but he still thought of her as a human, just as much as he thought of himself as one. Jazz could imagen seeing the ghost guitarist strapped to the examinations table in the basement, surgical instruments on clean stainless steel surfaces, unmoving. “What happened?” she found herself asking.

“I don’t know, I didn’t watch the videos, she was all cut up, missing an eye… could see her brain.” He shivered again looking over at her his eye’s filled with tears. “It’s like something mom and dad would do only whoever did this to Ember left her there without finishing the job, like she was some piece of trash.”

“Inhuman.” Said Jazz turning back to the wound in Danny’s shoulder, it would heal on its own but stitching it up meant that there would be a smaller scar that would fade much faster.

“Yeah inhuman.” Agreed Danny turning to look down on his bare feet’s. He didn’t say anything as Jazz closed the wound on both sides and covered it with a bandage. “It wasn’t Vlad, It couldn’t be mom or dad. The GIW have their own facilities so I don’t know who it could have been.” And that scared him thought Jazz, he didn’t know the enemy that could experiment on another ghost and leave her there to die.

He pulled his knees up to his chin and hugged his legs pressing his forehead against his knees. “Only a monster could do that and I have to protect him from Skulker.” Muttered Danny his voice thick. “I can’t let Skulker kill him because he’s human but I don’t want to. And yet if I stand to the side I am just as much a monster as he is.”

And that’s the dilemma plaguing him. He was after all part of both worlds, an enemy to the ghosts at the same time as he was one of them and a monster to the humans but still their hero. Jazz put her arm around his shaking shoulder. “Do you want to sleep in here tonight?” she asked on a whim, Danny hadn’t slept in her room since he was five and a nightmare had woken him.

Nodding his head Danny rubbed at his eyes. “If it’s not weird.” He mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so there's two chapters left, I counted wrong when I started posting so there are 16 chapters not 15. Also the drawing on this chapter is from when I was writing the first story and made a lot of character design drawings and hell am better at drawing now than I was a year ago^^.  
> No but to the important part, Thank you for reading my story/stories, I love to hear your thoughts so leav a comment I always read them.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back to the scean of the crime things are not as they left them.

“Wait Ember McLane is dead!” Exclaimed Tucker spitting pieces of his burger all over the table.

“How can a ghost be twice dead? It doesn’t make any sense.” Valeri scooted a bit away from Tucker protecting her own lunch from his spit.

They were sitting at the Nasty Burger taking advantage of Valeri’s late lunch to catch up. “Don’t look at me I am only half dead.” Sighed Danny biting in on his own burger. At first Sam and Danny had come to ask Valeri if she had anything to do with what they saw the night before but after describing the thing to her Danny had tasted her distaste and seen her lose her appetite something he was sure wouldn’t happen to the one that could cut up Embers head and stick needles in to her brain. Besides the person on the video had been a man and wore a white jumpsuit.

“Skulker didn’t think she was dead, he said something about her still holding on to her form but we won’t know if she will be the same Ember we remember.” Explained Sam sipping her soya shake.

“No pun intended.” Commented Danny remembering the one time hit song that had almost taken over the world.

“Oh god no, now I can’t get it out of my head why did you have to remind me Danny.” Complained Valeri putting her hands over her ears as if trying to stop herself from hearing the music.

Shrugging Danny swallowed his food. “Don’t blame me I didn’t write it.”

“How can you even eat after what we saw yesterday?” Asked Sam looking as always at the meaty burgers as if they were dog-poop.

“Breakfast.” Mumbled Danny between bites. He’d woken up drenched in cold sweat from a nightmare at 6am, Jazz hadn’t asked him about the nightmare and instead gone back to sleep herself. After having taken a shower Danny had gone back to his own room and crawled under his blankets pulling them up over his head. He had slept restlessly the rest of the morning and not until his mom woke him around noon with coffee did he get up.

“So where is the data you got from the computers?” Asked Tucker sipping at his extra-large soda.

“What data?” asked Sam and Danny at the same time. “I blasted the computers before we left.” Added Danny.

“Are you nuts, we could have found out who the creep that did that to Ember is if we got his computer files.” Tucker took a large bite out of his burger. “Tell me there was something left of the computer or did you obliterate it?”

Shrugging Danny and pushed the last bit of his burger in to his mouth. “Don’t know, didn’t look.” He said sipping at his own soda.

Valeri glanced over at the clock hanging over the counter. “If we hurry we can go there and get the computer before I have to get back to work.”

Danny choked. “You want to go there!” He asked before breaking down coughing.

She shrugged. “No offence but you aren’t hunters, I can track ghosts and humans alike. Besides you messed up destroying the computers and leaving before you could find out anything about the guy who had taken Ember.”

“Messed up. Valeri I don’t think you understand. I couldn’t stay another second in that room and now you are asking me to go back there. Have you any idea of how many of my nightmares take place in a room like that.” Danny glared at the dark skinned girl getting an equally hard stare back.

“I understand and I don’t blame you, that’s why I should get a look, I can keep a distance from the whole thing.” She made a face. “Technically I have only changed my view of Phantom not other ghosts. I get that what happened to Ember was wrong but I have an emotional distance to this that you don’t.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.” Said Sam her eye’s narrowed at Valeri. “Danny it’s up to you I am not going back there.”

Sighing Danny finished his soda. “Come on I’ll take you there.” He said getting up.

“One sec.” Said Tucker pushing the rest of his burger in to his mouth and hardly chewed before he swallowed it with another sip of his soda. “Alright let’s go.”

 

Tucker and Valeri followed Danny on Valeri’s hoverboard to the abandon apartment building. Landing in the alley where they had entered the night before Valeri and Danny changed back, after all there was no longer a reason for them to hide their identities from each other and Danny could phase them through the wall without her suit making it difficult for him.

Having gone through the wall Danny raised a hand, small ghost flames dancing around his fingers as he illuminated the long corridor. Looking back at the door he frowned. “The fence is gone.” He noted drawing the others attention to it as well.

“You sure this is the right building?” Asked Valeri her armored left hand raised in a similar way to Danny’s a plasma gun charged giving a warm red light.

“Yeah.” Danny bent down and found the spliced power cable still humming with electricity.

“Someone must have removed it after your visit here yesterday.” Said Tucker his phone illuminating his face in a more ghostly manner than Danny’s ghost fire. Valeri and Danny exchanged a look, this might get dangerous, the guy who had Ember might be in the building.

“Where did you go from here?” asked Tucker turning down the corridor. “I assume this way.”

The three walked down the corridor till they come upon the shattered remains of the reinforced steal security door. “What did this?” Wondered Valeri looking closely at the pointed edges still attached to the doorframe.

“That would be -100°F and a canon.” Said Danny picking up a sharp piece from the ground. The frost was gone from it but he still thought it felt cold. “The lab is downstairs.” Sighed Danny lifting his head he blinked.

Tucker and Valeri were staring at him. “Minus 100°F?” Asked Valeri sounding a bit skeptical.

Shrugging Danny moved past them and stepped in through the door. “I’ve been experimenting with my ice powers, figure they are less destructive than ghost-ray or my wail.” He moved down a couple of stairs and shivered, there were drops of ectoplasm on the floor from when Skulker had carried Ember up them.

“Sounds interesting.” Said Valeri coming up to stand beside him brushing against the white painted wall. “Is this led-paint?” She asked brushing her hand of on her pants.

“Explains why you couldn’t scan this place.” Mused tucker flicking out a pocket penknife that he used to scraped at the painted wall to reveal another color of paint under it, followed by a second layer of white. Humming Tucker flicked on the flashlight on his phone and shown it on the second color of paint. “If I’m not mistaken this layer is why you couldn’t phase through it.” He said tapping at the orange color.

“Why is that?” Asked Danny wanting to leave the stairs as soon as possible.

“Uranium.” Said Valeri getting an approving nod from Tucker.

“Uranium fucks shit up with ghost powers, just like Ecto-ranium.” Noted Danny.

“Ecto-ranium is rare and if you are just going to stop ghosts from phasing through a wall uranium will do the trick. Trust me I’ve tested it.” Said Valeri heading down the stairs. “Whoever took Ember must have known that uranium would work just as well and had the sense to coat the wall in led before and after to minimize the exposure to radioactivity.”

“That’s the big difference between uranium and ecto-ranium. The later isn’t radioactive it just stings when ghosts touches it and is poisonous to ghosts.” Sighed Danny, his parents dealt in the stuff when creating new weapons and if Danny wasn’t careful cleaning up the lab he could end up with some irritating burns.

They reached the bottom of the stairs and stopped. There was no door only collapsed concrete. “Dead end.” Said Danny walking up to the wall of rubble. A part of him was relieved that there was nothing left, another couldn’t help but wonder if his and Skulker’s break in had caused it. He placed his hand on the rubble and tried to phase through it but it was like trying to cram his arm through a puzzle without seeing the pieces.

“I guess the guy who took Ember came back last night to find her gone and decided to get rid of the evidence.” Said Valeri glancing over at Danny. “Do you think he knows who did it?” she asked.

Danny shrugged and turned to walk up the stairs again. “Beats me, can we get out of here now this place gives me the creeps.”

“Aww no data to pick apart.” Wined Tucker following Danny up the stairs. “You know we could try going around the problem if you are willing.”

Glancing back at Tucker Danny sighed. “Alright.” He transformed back in to Phantom and flew up the stairs to dive through walls and floors in an attempt to get to the collapsed basement.


	16. Epilog

Sitting on the creaking old office chair the white clad man sipped at his espresso. The computer in front of him was glowing, illuminating the dark round room. His new work place was far from finished, the first layer of paint was still drying on the walls filling the room with a chemical smell.

He opened the file on the laptop computer, it was connected to the charred remains of the one that had been in his old hideout. It had been a poor attempt at destroying his work, he had lined the inside of the computer with ecto-ranium, mostly to protect it from the ghost natural magnetic field but as it turned out the lining had protected the insides from the damage done by his intruders.

The media player opened the video file without any problem. It was timestamped at 23pm. His intruder alarm had gone of half an hour later. Fasting forward the man slowed down the recording moments before the alarm would have gone off. Leaning back he sipped at his espresso waiting.

He should install more security cameras for his new hideout, he thought, in the old one he had just put cameras in the basement observing the containment cube but there should have been one observing the door as well. Next time he was going to put one on every entrance to his hideout, it wouldn’t look suspicious not in this place.

Remembering the remains of his first security door he picked up a pen and a notebook from his desk and wrote down some thoughts, It had been blast proofed, he’d installed an magnetic field around it to disrupt any ghost powers and the normal phase-proofing had been applied to the inside. He had thought that that was enough to keep ghosts and humans out but clearly they had some powers that let them shatter it in to small pieces. He was going to have a talk with his deliverer to determine how to create another door that could withstand this power.

There was some movement on the screen in front of him and he leaned forward to stare at the faint glow coming from just outside of view. A ghost had gotten in, just as he suspected. A moment later it appeared flying straight at the containment cube, increasing the volume on his computer he could hear the metal like ghost shout, it’s flaming hair illuminating the area around him. “EMBER! EMBER!” shouted the ghost repeatedly bombarding the containment cube with its weapons.

Pausing the video, the man took a screen capture and place the image in a new file, then pressed play again. The ghost went on bombarding the containment cube for another minute and a half before turning around. It flew out of view of the camera again, “What are you standing there for.” Shouted the ghost and the man in front of the computer had to pause the video again as a second ghost came flying in to view its back slamming in to the cube before sinking down to stand on the floor.

White hair, black suit with white gloves, boots and collar, his skin a color found in the spectrum of human skin tones, eye’s glowing green. The one that got away. So he had been there, he had helped the metal ghost, or had the metal ghost helped him? Taking another screen capture of the image on the video the man wrote down his thoughts and observations, he had to document this. 

Saving the screen capture in an already existing file, named Phantom, the man went back to the video and pressed play. “Open IT!” Roared the other ghost, Phantom turned his face to look in to the cube, and then he turned his face away covering his mouth with his hand. Was the ghost disgusted of what he saw? No, he probably knew Ember, they had been recorded fighting, it was probably just a reaction to the other ghosts condition. An empathetic response, he was known for acting like a human.

Noting down Phantom’s reaction the man heard the other ghost shout again, “Do something, get her out!” he had flown straight at the containment cube.

Phantom turned his back on the other ghost and moved over to the computers. The man watched as he interacted with it, the ghost knew how to use a computer, he even tried to figure out how to open the door to the containment cube by watching the previous videos. Feeling glad that he had chosen to wear the stupid cap and googles that came with the hazmat suit the man watched as Phantom spoke. “I can’t.” he said, in a voice unlike his normal confident one.

“Then what use are you!” Shouted the metal ghost smashing in to the cube again. Phantom watched the ghost for a moment his facial expression completely blank. “Overload it.” He said, “Don’t try and smash it overload the electronics.” This was new, he changed his approach to the problem in front of him. Phantom was adapting to the situation, unlike the ghost that was smashing in to the containment cube roaring like the beast he was.

The metal ghost began glowing, sparks flying around him as he screamed at the top of his lungs. The man stopped the video again and noted down the timestamp, he was going to look in to his other programs maybe they had gotten a power reading of the ghost. Pressing play again he watched as Phantom moved out of view.

The roar of the metal ghost wined down in to a pitiful sub, the sparks had stopped flying and his flaming hair had shrunk, it had used up to much of its energy. “Skulker get out of the way.” Said Phantom, his voice thick. The metal ghost, Skulker, turned around and jumped out of the way.

The video broke down in static, the man in front of the screen slowed down to get frame by frame footages but it was useless, a moment later the video turned black. Something that had a strong magnetic field or put out a strong electric current had overloaded the cameras.

Closing down the media player the man brought up another program that had registered the energy spikes in the containment field. There had been a lot of spikes in the graft the first couple of days Ember had been contained, that was to be expected, she had slowly calmed down as her energy drained and his methods took its toll on her. The last week it had been a perfect flat line and then there was the small bumps as Skulker started bombarding it with weapons.

There was a high spike reaching a 3.6 on a scale of 1 to 10 when Skulker tried to overload the containment field. The next spike reached a 8.8, that had to be Phantom, he had overloaded the containment field and broken through the cub’s ghost proofed walls. If he was going to hold Phantom he needed to improve his containment unit, this ghost, so young was even stronger than the one he had studied before, stronger even than the once he had found in the archive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to say that I finished this story and then whent back reading it over and when I came to the end I had to add this chapter, it was a lot of fun and I'm thinking of doing some art for it but I can't imagen anything that won't spoil the mistery.  
> Alright I hope you have enjoyed reading this story, the next one will be coming this weekend.  
> If you have any questions or want to speak to me about anything don't hesitate to leave a comment, I always try to answer.


End file.
